


The Bachelor

by Snowy38



Category: Harry Styles - Fandom, Larry Stylinson - Fandom, Louis Tomlinson - Fandom, One Direction (Band)
Genre: Bachelor!Harry, Breaking The Rules, Cowboy Harry, Falling In Love, Fluff, Kid fic?, M/M, Meddling Sisters, Meddling daughter, Slow Build, Smut, Top Harry, assistant!louis, dating show, forbidden relationship, harry has a daughter, the bachelor - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-11
Updated: 2018-03-14
Packaged: 2019-03-03 14:55:09
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 16
Words: 53,953
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13343577
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Snowy38/pseuds/Snowy38
Summary: "Don't tell me, you're Lola," Louis pointed at the little girl and she crowded her father's leg shyly, sticking her thumb in her mouth.Harry chuckled lightly and cupped the back of her head with a large palm, his calloused hands catching the fine strands of her hair."She's shy," Harry told him. "Plus you swore mighty loud...M'Harry by the way," he stuck his free hand forward, his diction belying his way of life- slow and casual.The somewhat dainty-looking loud-mouth flicked a look to his hand, then back to his face. Harry waited patiently for him to take it."Louis," he finally shared, clasping Harry's hand with his smaller one and giving it a gentle squeeze, placing his other over the top of both of theirs. "Tomlinson," he added. "I'm your personal assistant," he added.Or the one where Harry dates six other guys and still falls in love with Louis Tomlinson ;)





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hi everyone! Welcome; or welcome back depending if you are new or known! I appreciate you all so very much and I am not sure I get that across to you. Your thoughts and feelings translate into my stories so keep them coming!
> 
> If there are any continuity errors I apologise. Please let me know! (Big fic, hard to get it right).
> 
> Also, this is based on a completely fictional idea of the TV show The Bachelor; obviously it has no realistic bearing on the reality show!
> 
> Ang

As Harry Styles stood in front of the 18th Century ornate mansion, he knew that his life may never be the same.

 

There are moments where people can look back through the mirrors of time and define those pivotal changes but not many people have the power of foresight.

 

The next six weeks would determine his future, almost wholly, if everything went well.

 

He clutched his beaten leather drawstring bag in his right hand and the miniature human hand in his left.

 

"Ready, Lola?" He asked in a low, humming voice, shaking the tiny hand slightly.

 

A beautiful head of caramel hair held up in a ponytail tipped back, directing a pair of hazel eyes onto Harry's face.

 

"Daddy? I'm scared..."

 

Harry smiled, lowering himself to one knee and placing his bag beside  him to free up his hand which he used to cup Lola's face.

 

"What are you scared of, sweetheart?"

 

"What if I get lost in the big, scary house?" She asked, taking big, gulping breaths. "Or-or I can't find you...what if you don't want me anymore and-"

 

"Fookin' 'ell lad!"

 

Lola's about-to-become-tantrum was stopped swiftly in its tracks.

 

Harry looked over his shoulder towards the loud swearing while Lola bent sideways with an o'd mouth to see.

 

"Oh, Daddy, he said f-"

 

"Yeah, I heard," Harry cut her off with a bemused clearing of his throat. "I think the whole ranch heard," he added, slowly getting up as a rather motion-filled, flailing-armed small man, ragged out another younger man who had apparently doused him in a hot drink.

 

"I asked for tea, not for me clothes to be washed in it!"

 

Harry cleared his throat again, a bit louder.

 

The small fuzz of hair turned, brows arched high.

 

"I'm just coming," he told him, fingers brushing through his fringe with a sigh and an impatient swallow while the younger man ran back with kitchen towels, fastidiously blotting at the shorter man's chest.

 

"Jesus, Nigel, think I can manage meself actually..." He huffed, snatching the towels. "Be a good lad and take Mr Styles' luggage up to the house?" He added.

 

Nigel nodded and took the first of six large suitcases.

 

The smaller man- still unidentified- finally turned to Harry, clapping his hands together, sliding them until his fingers meshed, his thumb pointing up slightly and his forefingers turning into a gun shape.

 

Harry contained a snigger as he made a face and separated his now-sticky hands.

 

The man closed one eye and tilted his head.

 

"Don't tell me, you're Lola," he pointed at the little girl and she crowded her father's leg shyly, sticking her thumb in her mouth.

 

Harry chuckled lightly and cupped the back of her head with a large palm, his calloused hands catching the fine strands of her hair.

 

"She's shy," Harry told the man. "Plus you swore mighty loud...M'Harry by the way," he stuck his free hand forward, his diction belying his way of life- slow and casual.

 

The somewhat dainty-looking loud-mouth flicked a look to his hand, then back to his face. Harry waited patiently for him to take it.

 

"Louis," he finally shared, clasping Harry's hand with his smaller one and giving it a gentle squeeze, placing his other over the top of both of theirs. "Tomlinson," he added. "I'm your personal assistant," he added.

 

Harry looked surprised.

 

"And Nigel is..."

 

Louis smirked.

 

" _My_ personal assistant." he explained. "It's a food chain here as you can see..."

 

"I'd uh...appreciate it if you didn't use that language in front of my daughter," Harry said gently, but firmly.

 

Louis pursed his lips and quirked his brows, meeting Harry's gaze and holding it for five long seconds. Something fizzled in Harry's chest when those cloudy blue orbs pierced his.

 

Louis dropped to one knee elegantly and leaned to his right, to peer around Harry's long leg- wrapped in blue denim-finding a pretty shy girl hiding there tucked behind his thighs.

 

"Sorry, love," Louis expressed awkwardly. "Sorry for saying bad words...are you mad at me?"

 

Lola frowned, shaking her head with her thumb in her mouth.

 

"Did I scare you?" Louis asked next, face all bright and hopeful.

 

Lola popped her thumb out, a line of saliva hitting the back of Harry's jeans. Louis flicked a look upwards but Harry was adjusting his Stetson and looking to the sky. Long, dark curls feathered over his shoulders and drifted back in the breeze.

 

"No, you didn't scare me," said the girl quietly while Louis' gaze wasn't on her.

 

When he snapped his head back, she crowded behind Harry's legs once more.

 

"Well I'm sorry anyway," he said with a lop-sided smile. "Want some tea?"

 

Lola giggled and butted herself into the backs of Harry's thighs.

 

"No, silly it's nearly lunchtime!"

 

Louis tutted, shaking his head as he rose.

 

"Who taught you that you can't have tea at lunchtime?" He wondered, glancing at the taller man, the _cowboy_.

 

Lola pressed close into her father's legs and Harry lifted his hands comedically.

 

"Hey, most of us don't take tea after eleven," Harry defended.

 

"What shi-" Louis caught himself in time, winking. "I mean, what rubbish."

 

Harry actually laughed this time, grazing his eyes over Louis' features.

 

He was tan, small and curvy. He was wearing a long sleeve top in simple grey and jeans with converse, casual but somehow smart enough to fit the role he was playing. His cheekbones were incredible, high and defined, his jaw angled perfectly. He had small lips, stubble and eyes that crinkled at the edges. He had lovely blue eyes and thick lashes he liked to peek from underneath. His hair was thick, a dark caramel colour and long in the neck, flopping forward from an attempt to be slicked back slightly.

 

"So, Louis...uh...or should I call you-?"

 

"Louis," he nodded, grabbing Harry's holdall. "And yeah, I'll take you up and explain everything..."

 

Harry smiled gratefully, some of the knot of apprehension loosening in his stomach.

 

//

 

"...So we've got a full-time child carer as requested and we've limited filming to eight hours per day so you get your time with Lola and I'm sorry to say it but you'll probably be spending more time with me than either of us would like..."

 

Louis was sat, legs crossed on the giant four-poster bed while Harry hunched in a dark wood seat by the window, forearms pressed to his knees while Lola was being shown the playroom that had been created for her.

 

"I think I'll need you," Harry admitted. "I'm so nervous and I'm beginning to wonder what I'm even doing here..."

 

Louis got off the bed, one leg unfurled followed by the other, his thighs in Harry's vision as he approached. Quite appealing thighs if Harry considered it.

 

"Everyone feels that way at first. When you've met the guys I'm sure you'll feel better." Louis assured. "There's one or two stunners that you might like," he added with a wink and-

 

Harry frowned as Louis bounced away lightly on his little feet.

 

 _Wait_. Was Louis gay, too?

 

"You like guys?" Harry called, earning an arched brow from his assistant.

 

"I do," he called back. "But don't tell Greg I told you that, he's threatened me with the sack twice this week for my unprofessional behaviour, don't give him another reason, please..."

 

Harry was about to formulate a response when the bedroom door burst open.

 

"Daddy!" Lola screamed loud and happy. "You should see the playroom!"

 

Harry chuckled as she ran toward him, feet slapping on the floor, her little body crawling up his legs to hug him large. He cradled her close, breathing in her smell.

 

"I know honey but don't get too used to it; this is just a holiday, okay?"

 

Lola leaned back and pressed a palm to each of his cheeks.

 

"It's just a holiday until Daddy finds a Princess and then we're going home."

 

Louis spluttered out some laughter as he pottered in the corner by the kettle, evidently making more tea. Half of his previous cup was still streaked down the left side of his top.

 

"A Princess?" He repeated with a hoot.

 

Lola frowned and pursed her lips, swinging around to glare at him.

 

"My Daddy is a Prince and every Prince needs a Princess..."

 

Louis arched a brow and put two sugar cubes in his cup.

 

"Pity Daddy didn't tell you he's looking for a Prince..." He murmured and Harry got up, putting Lola on the floor gently.

 

"She knows," Harry said, biting his lower lip.

 

Louis laid a cup by the seat Harry was hovering over, going back to sit on the bed himself with his legs crossed once more. He'd given Lola a carton of juice and she stood by the tea-station slurping it noisily.

 

"Lola-Grace," Harry warned.

 

She found the bin and put the empty carton in it.

 

Harry flicked his eyes back to Louis.

 

"There's more?" He asked.

 

Louis, who had been typing into his phone, lifted his brows with a hum.

 

"Hm?"

 

"Like, do you need to tell me more?"

 

Harry ran his fingers through his hair and lifted his other hand to join it, scooping it back into a mass to pull a stretchy band over it.

 

He squinted as he noticed Lola press her chin into the bed behind where Louis was sitting.

 

"Oh no, I'm just, you know," Louis shrugged. "Getting to know you on a casual level so you don't feel completely awkward around me when we start filming..."

 

"But you're not-"

 

"A contestant?" Louis filled in with a smirk. "No. But like I said, I'm the guy who's going to be by your side 24/7 sorting everything out. From diva-tantrums, to emotional breakdowns, to medical emergencies and late-night trips to the store, I'm your man."

 

Harry pushed his lower lip over his upper lip, his eyes flicking back to his daughter who was crawling onto the bed. She pushed herself onto her stomach and left her arms by her sides, her feet inching her up to where Louis was sat.

 

"Lola, what in God's name are you-?" Harry wondered, making Louis look around suddenly, finding a flat child right next to him.

 

"Hey, how goes it, worm-girl?" Louis asked with a smile at her back.

 

Lola turned her face a bit so her cheek pressed into the covers, her shoulder now by Louis' knee.

 

"We have similar names," she said.

 

Louis smiled brightly with an enthusiastic nod. "Louis and Lola. Sounds like a partnership in crime if I ever heard one," Louis agreed.

 

"Oh god," Harry grumbled lowly. "Please don't encourage her..."

 

Louis slid Harry a narrowed look.

 

"Oh, Mr. Grumpy is your dad?" He asked the little girl. "They told me his name was Harry not Grumpy..."

 

Lola giggled and flopped onto her back, little fingers curling into Louis' thigh, her fingernails digging into the seam on his jeans.

 

"Louis! That's so mean! That's my Daaad..."

 

"Nope, nope that's not your dad, that's Mr. Grumpy. Pretty sure Mr. Grumpy doesn't have kids..."

 

Lola smiled at him, going still for a moment and Louis wondered if he'd said something wrong, something to upset her.

 

She got up and climbed down from the bed, walking to the chair where she climbed into Harry's lap wordlessly, wrapping her arms around his neck. Instantly his arms went around her and one of his hands splayed across her back, rubbing there gently.

 

She whispered something in his ear and he hummed something back. His pale olive eyes ventured upwards to meet Louis' where he was still curled on the bed.

 

"Oh...I have to go," Louis took his cue. "But thanks for the tea," he lifted his cup. "I'll come and get you for the preliminary dinner tonight we'll just introduce you to everyone before we start shooting tomorrow." He explained. "Makes everyone a bit less nervous on screen..."

 

Harry nodded and watched Louis' little form nearly bounce to the door.

 

The word _Tigger_ came to mind helplessly.

 

"Adios Amigos!" He called with a wave, not turning as he shut the door gently behind him.

 

//

 

"Sorry Daddy," Lola whispered as she clung to the shoulders of Harry's worn plaid shirt.

 

"What are you sorry for, sweetheart?"

 

Lola shrugged.

 

"I made Louis go."

 

"No you didn't, Louis wanted to go," Harry said. "He has a job to do and remember what we talked about this morning?"

 

Lola wriggled a bit on his chest, her small feet resting on the seat of the chair Harry was in.

 

"That we'll make some nice friends but we can't take them with us and not to be sad because we had some time with them which is better than nothing..." Lola repeated carefully, pulling back to check she'd remembered it right.

 

Harry thumbed her cheek, kissing her other.

 

"You're so clever," he complimented and Eskimo kissed her until she giggled and blushed.

 

"Daddy! Not while you have scruffles!" She squealed, wriggling in his arms, pushing at him and slithering away until he let go so she could run and jump back on the bed.

 

Harry ran a finger and thumb over his jaw, realising he hadn't shaved in two or three days, his stubble growing through. He never had thick beard like some guys but that never bothered him.

 

He glanced at his daughter who was jumping on the bed.

 

"You like Louis?" He checked, since they'd be spending a lot of time with the petite man over the coming weeks.

 

Lola nodded and bounced harder.

 

Harry already knew her answer, had known it the second Louis had crouched down to greet her instead of acting like she wasn't there like most people did. But he was also instantly on edge about that because Lola wasn't always welcoming to new people in their bubble, in fact he'd tried several times to date and had come up unsuccessful because no matter how long he gave it before introducing a potential partner to his little girl, Lola always ended up hating them.

 

She wasn't a child who had a tendency towards tantrums but he'd held her sobbing form enough times after kicking a guy out of the ranch house after meeting her because Lola had refused to be nice.

 

Harry wondered what it was about Louis that made his child suddenly accept him because, if he could fathom out the reasoning behind it,  he could make this whole scenario a hell of a lot easier. At some point in this competition some of his suitors may need to meet Lola and he wanted to make that as easy for her as possible.

 

Working out what Louis had that didn't make his child cry seemed to be the key and so Harry went to get ready for dinner with that in mind.


	2. Chapter 2

**Niall Horan, 24, Irish Banker. Likes Beer, golf and segways.**

**Liam Payne, 26, Private Personal Trainer. Likes scrabble, tennis and movies.**

**Zayn Malik, 24, Successful Artist. Likes tattoos, painting and candle-lit dinners.**

**Nick Grimshaw, 32, Radio Host. Likes dogs, bright shirts and having fun.**

**Alexander Harris, 23, Museum Curator. Likes Beach walks and parties.**

**James Bay, 22, Singer/Songwriter. Likes football and skateboarding.**

 

Harry flicked his eyes over the A4 page which boasted a passport photo of each suitor and their basic information. He felt panic slightly hedge at his side, causing him to take a deep breath to ward it off.

 

The firm press of a warm hand into his shirted shoulder anchored him and he turned, looking up with big eyes in his pale face.

 

Louis smiled at him.

 

"They're just bringing them down now ... don't worry, I'm right here if anyone gets out of line," he winked with his accent, an English variation Harry hadn't quite worked out yet.

 

"What if they don't like me?" Harry asked with a pout.

 

Louis gave out a loud 'hah' and pressed the back of his hand to his mouth.

 

"You looked in a mirror lately, cowboy?" Louis twinkled.

 

Harry gave him an exasperated look.

 

"Great. I'm just some cowboy kink fantasy now..."

 

Louis smirked, lips pursing and brows rising but he didn't get to reply because the six men were being shown into the room by Nigel.

 

Harry stood up, straightening his white shirt and fidgeting with the semi-rolled cuffs which sat mid- forearm.

 

He looked up carefully, not having his Stetson to hide under since he'd politely removed it for the meeting and now he felt almost bare.

 

He combed his long hair down each side of his neck, flipping it over at the front and smiling timidly at the men who all came to shake his hand and introduce themselves personally.

 

"Jesus, you're beautiful," Nick awed.

 

A smaller man, dark skin and hair, looked up at him with equally dark eyes.

 

"Hi, I'm Zayn," he smiled and Harry felt the others fall away.

 

Zayn was definitely his type- small and dark and with an air of mystery.

 

"So!" Louis clapped his hands once hand-shakes were done. "Let's sit down shall we?"

 

The men all filed into seats around the grand table.

 

"This is just an unofficial introduction really," Louis led, wandering around the room and eyeing up the contestants. "Just wanted to get everyone acquainted before the cameras roll tomorrow in case anyone gets stage fright..."

 

"Me," Harry stuck his hand up to confess and everyone chuckled.

 

"Yes, well..." Louis cast a warm smile Harry's way. "Think that's to be expected, Harold..."

 

"Is-" A tentative voice called out, the man named Liam clearing his throat. "Is your real name Harold then? Do you shorten it?"

 

Harry pursed his lips with a brow arch at Louis. Louis just shrugged and grinned back.

 

"It's just Harry," he drawled.

 

"Oh," Liam said, glancing at Louis confusedly, looking like he was about to ask another question but Louis cut him off.

 

"You'll be seeing a lot of me around because I'm Harry's assistant for the next six weeks. My duties also include Harry's personal security and basic medical support so if anyone gets any ideas about manhandling the goods," Louis smiled fakely, brushing his hands together. "I’ll be here to step in..."

 

"Like to see you try," muttered a low voice.

 

Louis looked around and found it belonged to Nick.

 

"I'm stronger than I look," Louis promised only, keeping his tone bright and professional.

 

"So, you all get one question to ask Harry now and he may- _or may not_ -choose to ask one or two questions back and then we'll retire for the night before the first activity of the week which will be-"

 

The room sucked in breaths of anticipation.

 

Louis swept his hands out either side of him.

 

"Horseback riding of course..."

 

A few groans sounded, a couple of 'yee-haw's'. Harry curled his fingers over his amused lips and sunk into his seat a bit.

 

"Ok, we'll go clockwise from Niall," Louis touched the blonde man's shoulder. "Nothing too rude or personal if you don't mind," Louis added. "We may not be on camera yet but the network aren't fond of encouraging debauchery..."

 

Niall snorted and flicked Louis an amused look.

 

"Sure you're just an assistant? You're like a floor manager too..."

 

Louis shrugged. "I just do what I'm told."

 

Harry glanced at him with curiosity burning behind his eyes.

 

"I find that hard to believe," he murmured as Niall cleared his throat to start with his question.

 

//

 

It was after the horseback riding activity was done for the day that most of the contestants and crew merged together for a cook-out at the horse-ranch hosting them for the two days of filming.

 

Louis was technically off-duty, having watched a tired-out Harry collect Lola-Grace from the on-set nanny where she had run to him excitedly. The sight had pulled a wistful smile onto his lips from afar and he'd slipped into the background only to re-merge later when food was beckoning.

 

He noted Harry was missing from the group, probably because he was spending time with his daughter. Louis collected up one of the serving plates and filled it with food, wandering the ranch to nibble on his selection.

 

The sun was going down now and he thanked his lucky stars that he got to do this job on locations such as this one-beautiful and somewhat nostalgic of his own childhood, growing up among cow-men and horses.

 

He found them under the draping willows by the brook, the coolest spot no doubt. Lola was being taught how to race sticks in the babbling waters; running up and down excitedly while Harry more slowly governed her activities, his body evidently worn from the day riding.

 

Harry spotted him before he reached them so Louis paused, lifting up the plate in silent question. Harry nodded and scooped a hand to wave him over.

 

"I promise I'm not some sycophant," Louis quipped as he bounced over.

 

"I think I knew that the day we met," Harry mused; the edges of his smile tired and his eyes crinkling at the corners.

 

Louis dipped to his knee as Lola caught sight of him from her position farther off down the river bank.

 

"Louis!" She called happily; running up to him and quickly realising she couldn't throw herself at him with the plate in the way. She carefully pushed his arm to one side to shuffle in; feet tripping over each other and landing her heavily against his shoulder.

 

He let out a huff of laughter, free hand gently rubbing her back.

 

"Hello, pretty. Want some food?"

 

Lola pulled back, a shy smile on her face as she nodded.

 

"Let's sit then shall we?" Louis moved into a cross-legged position and balanced the plate in his lap.

 

Lola looked up and around.

 

"Daddy?"

 

"Right here, sweetheart," Harry drawled, dropping to one knee and then wincing before crossing his legs.

 

"You're getting _old_ ," Lola told him solemnly, watching her father struggle to sit.

 

Harry pursed his lips as Louis clapped out a loud 'hah!' which he quickly tried to cover.

 

"How old are _you_ , Louis?" She asked next, pretty hazel eyes focusing on him.

 

Louis gulped down his bite of food, regretting his humour of moments before. Harry's gaze trained on him, eyes sparkling with mirth and lips twitching; trying not to laugh.

 

"Yes, Louis," he rasped. "How old are _you_?"

 

Louis grinned.

 

"I'm like Peter Pan, me," He answered in his best story-teller voice. "I never age."

 

Lola seemed to consider this for a moment, helping herself to a hotdog while Harry crunched some raw pepper.

 

"You're magic then?" She asked, tilting her head.

 

Louis nodded.

 

"I'm magic."

 

Lola got up and toddled over to him, little hands pressing into his knee as she leaned close to stare cross-eyed into his face.

 

"Lola, what are you doing?" Harry asked gently, reaching a hand out to curl fingers around her wrist to tug her away.

 

"Looking for the magic dust," she replied seriously, screwing up her lips in concentration. "Louis might be able to fly if he has magic dust inside him."

 

Harry leaned forwards to secure both hands around Lola's waist, pulling her into his lap.

 

"I'm sorry, Louis," he expressed softly. "I really have no explanation for this one..."

 

Lola grinned up at her father toothily.

 

"But you love me anyway."

 

"I do," Harry dipped his head as Lola tipped her head right back and he placed a kiss on her lips. "I love you very much."

 

"Mummy loved me too," Lola told Louis then, fidgeting in Harry's lap to reach for more food.

 

Louis licked his lips as she settled by his knee, folding her arms over it and picking at the plate of treats. His eyes flicked to Harry's quickly and Harry opened his mouth but nothing came out.

 

"Of course she does," Louis answered anyway, diplomatically. "Who wouldn't love you?"

 

"Daddy doesn't when she's having a screaming tantrum," Harry muttered under his breath and Louis passed him a chicken leg.

 

"My sisters are the same," Louis shared. "They say girls are the hardest."

 

"They're right, whoever _they_ are," he mused.

 

Louis twisted his lips in wanting to ask, but decided not to.

 

"You're from England," Harry said then, surprising Louis somewhat.

 

"Daddy, look," Lola got up to tug at his shirt-tails.

 

She pointed at the sky where the stars were becoming visible. The moon was bright enough to lull them into a security of it still being light.

 

"Going to count them, Lo?" Harry asked her, cupping her head.

 

"Can I lay and watch them sparkle?" She asked.

 

Harry checked the time, cleared his throat at her begging lip-bite and sighed.

 

"Ten minutes," he stated. "No arguing."

 

Lola shook her head and turned to look at Louis.

 

"Louis? Will you watch the stars sparkle with me?"

 

Louis knew he shouldn't. He knew he was probably overstepping lines of professionalism and other lines from Harry's perspective about spending time with his child. He stared at Harry for a moment, waiting for a sign. He didn't give one.

 

"That's up to your Dad, I think," he said finally; far too engaged in a pair of dark eyes.

 

Harry didn't look at his daughter, knowing her pleading gaze would sway him to give in. He kept looking at Louis instead; the softer version of him with sweats on instead of those form-fitting jeans and his hair unstyled.

 

"I suppose it would be alright," he managed, heart clenching.

 

He was so afraid of letting Lola fall in love with these people. He didn't want her to meet any of the guys for this very reason and yet Louis ... Louis was just a natural. There was no fear, almost. He couldn't work out why that was.

 

Louis and Lola lay side by side.

 

"Here Daddy," Lola patted the spot beside her and he stretched out, joints cracking and bones aching.

 

Harry arched his back with a throaty growl.

 

"Jeez, Daddy," Lola sighed. "You sound like you're breaking..."

 

Both men laughed at that, Harry folding his arms behind his head.

 

"I _feel_ like I am, too."

 

"Tomorrow we have some lasso lessons," Louis explained "And after that we travel back to the mansion and there's a day off."

 

"Lasso?" Harry enquired, smiling as Lola shifted to pillow her head in the hollow of his bent arm. He turned his face to press a kiss in her fluffy hair.

 

"Gotta get those stereo-types in, right?" Louis mused dryly.

 

"What else do they have planned?"

 

"Oh sh-sugar, yeah," Louis swallowed, quickly avoiding a curse. "I was meant to go through that wasn't I?"

 

Harry glanced over at him with an amused smirk.

 

"Kinda useful, yeah."

 

"Fudge," he sighed, rolling into a sitting position.

 

"Louis, you haven't picked your favourite sparkle yet," Lola whined, lifting her head to pout at him.

 

Louis rubbed a hand over his face.

 

"I've got a job to do, little one," he smiled sadly. "Not doing it well right now," he added, getting up. "Pick a sparkler for me, yeah?"

 

Harry frowned, tilting his body to watch Louis get up, his name on the tip of his tongue but Louis had hastened into the dark before he had a chance to call him.

 

Lola's head rested back against his arm.

 

"Daddy?"

 

"Hm?"

 

"Louis is really pretty."

 

Harry blinked, lips pursing in silent agreement.

 

"Yeah he is, sweetheart."

 

//

 

Harry was subjected to a formal meeting the next morning; Louis at the helm with a jittery Nigel hovering over them, force-feeding Harry coffee and croissants.

 

He'd asked for tea since that's what Louis was drinking but the man seemed to have a problem getting instructions right.

 

"We have some arty things thrown in," Louis was telling him, having been over the physical activities of the competition. The triathlon he'd talked about was already causing Harry anxiety. He may be a cowboy but he wasn't a soldier.

 

"Gallery trip, pottery day...also the personal dates are up to you," Louis explained, flipping through a folder of laminated pages. "We've got every kind of restaurant available and--"

 

Louis paused and Harry trained his gaze from outside the window of the ranch back to the man at the helm of the breakfast table.

 

"What would you _like_ to do?" Louis asked then, brows drawing together.

 

"You mentioned karaoke and barn-dancing right?"

 

Louis nodded.

 

"What about painting?" He suggested. "I have oils and canvasses at home."

 

Louis typed into his phone.

 

"Painting, no problem. Anything else?"

 

"Yoga?" Harry raised a brow.

 

Louis stared at him.

 

"Yoga?" He repeated, bemused.

 

"Yeah, yoga," Harry confirmed. "It's good for you."

 

Louis' expression showed that he disagreed with that statement but he typed something into his phone dutifully, brows raised as he did so.

 

"You should try it." Harry stated then.

 

"Alas I'm too busy running around after you to partake," Louis teased.

 

"Well, what if I insist?" Harry challenged in his slow, heavy voice.

 

Louis' gaze stilled on him, flicking up and down him in assessment.

 

"You really think you can bend yourself about? Did I imagine your inability to sit down last night?" He quipped. "Along with Lola's observation that you are in fact, old," he tagged on for fun.

 

Harry arched a brow, sensing the silent challenge.

 

"I'm bendy," he assured in a drawl that Louis might think was flirty if Harry wasn't there to date six other guys.

 

"Fine. Yoga it is," Louis nodded. "Name the time and place and I'll be-"

 

"Tomorrow morning back at the mansion on the front lawn," Harry quickly described.

 

"I don't get up before seven." Louis warned.

 

"Seven it is."

 

"Fine," Louis repeated with a disgruntled sigh fluffing into his fringe.

 

"Good," Harry beamed happily. "I think I might like this place after all."

 

//

 

Alexander was the best at Lasso.

 

Harry seemed to click with the tall, handsome man and he'd almost forgotten about the cameras as they'd stayed later than the others, practising on the fixed bull in the centre of the paddock.

 

"So what's Lola like?" Alex asked as they leaned on the fence together, sweaty and a bit dirty.

 

Harry lifted off his Stetson and ran his fingers through his sweaty hair, pulling a band off his wrist to tie it up in a bun.

 

"She's sweet," Harry described with a shrug. "Sometimes shy at first. Pretty precocious when she's stopped being shy," he admitted. "But not spoilt," he twisted his lips.

 

"How do you look after her and a ranch?" Alex wondered.

 

Harry smiled at him with a snort.

 

"You tell me. Somehow, I make it work. I'm lucky enough to have the means to pay for staff to do the bulk of it but there's parts of my business I won't let anyone else touch. Lola comes along for some of it, too," he added.

 

"Has she ever met one of your partners?"

 

Harry licked his lips, eyes dipping to the dusty sand beneath his battered suede boots.

 

"A while ago...I haven't really met anyone recently," Harry admitted quietly. "It's hard to date, I guess."

 

"I take it you realised you were gay after she was born, then," Alex observed.

 

"Not exactly," Harry frowned, fidgeting awkwardly. "It's complicated."

 

Alex nodded, seemingly understanding the topic to be closed. He looked around, a smile flicking onto his lips.

 

"Someone's looking for you," he told Harry before he moved off, pressing a kiss to Harry's cheek before he opened the paddock gate to let the visitor in.

 

Harry turned to watch Alex trudge back up to the house, his eyes quickly focusing on Louis approaching with Lola hitched on his hip. He looked flustered; fingers combing through his fringe shakily.

 

"Harry, I'm so sorry-"

 

"Hey," Harry rushed over, picking up his daughter and laying her against his shoulder before grasping Louis' upper arm to comfort him. "What's wrong? Is Lo okay?"

 

He felt his daughter nod against his shoulder, thumb stuck in her mouth.

 

"The Nanny had a fit and walked out," Louis huffed, exasperated. "I couldn't just leave Lola there but I-I'm sorry, I tried to call you..."

 

Harry slipped his phone out of his pocket, biting his lip. _Six missed calls_.

 

"I had it on silent," he said softly. "It's my fault."

 

"I had to bring her down," Louis urged with a strained voice, panic lacing his words.

 

"You did the right thing," Harry's brows knitted together.

 

Louis looked at him, a breath escaping his lips slowly.

 

"You're not mad?"

 

"No," Harry cradled his tired little girl against his chest slightly, rubbing Louis' arm one last time before reluctantly letting go. "Why would I be mad?"

 

"Because you--I'm--"

 

Harry spluttered out a laugh.

 

"It's alright Louis," he assured. "Really."

 

"Okay," Louis swallowed with a nod, turning to go.

 

"Is Louis having dinner with us again?" Lola piped up, just as the shorter man looked to be leaving.

 

Harry pursed his lips, brow rising.

 

"I don't know, Lo." Harry told her, smoothing a hand over her back. "Louis, are you having dinner with us?"

 

Louis bit his lip.

 

"I shouldn't," was his reply. "Greg doesn't like it if we-"

 

"Lola wants Lou-iiis!" The little girl cried loudly, then, kicking her feet against Harry's torso.

 

"Hey, none of that," Harry told her sternly, kneeling to place her feet gently to the ground so he could face her. "What's got into you today?"

 

Lola sniffled, pressing a small fisted hand beneath her teary eye to wipe away the wetness.

 

"Nanny Jane said I couldn't go say hi to Louis." She stated with a hiccup. "I was making potato prints and I could see him outside the window...Louis would have liked to make potato prints," she finished quietly, biting her lip.

 

Harry blinked, stumped by the outpouring of information from Lola's lips.

 

"Of course he would have," Harry answered for him, looking up to check with Louis that he was justified to commit him to potato-printing at some point in the future. Louis turned down his lips and tipped his hand to and fro to suggest he was okay with the idea. "But Louis was working and he couldn't say hello right then."

 

"Nanny Jane was mean," Lola accused. "She told me I had to be quiet and sit down."

 

Harry took a deep breath, letting it out slowly.

 

"Sometimes you have to do what the Nanny tells you to do, Lola. We talked about this before we came."

 

Lola turned her blotched face away, teeth grinding stubbornly.

 

"Lola, you can't behave badly just because you don't like being told something."

 

The little girl swallowed and let out a sigh.

 

"You would have let me say hello," she managed in a wobbly voice, oh-so-quiet like she knew Harry might argue with that.

 

Harry flicked his eyes back to Louis.

 

"Yeah, I would have," he admitted, scooping an arm around her legs to stand up with her again. "Your old Dad's a bit of a softie."

 

Lola curled into his chest, resting her head in the crook of his neck. Harry imagined having an adult mirroring her on his other side; his strong cowboy body protecting all those who fell into his helm.

 

"I'm sorry if we've caused a problem with the child-care arrangements," he said to Louis.

 

Louis shrugged.

 

"I'm sure we can find someone else."

 

Harry nodded, biting his lip.

 

"Shall we have some dinner?"

 

Louis led them back to the house.

 

//

 

"It's going to take two days to get a new Nanny in," Louis told him at their breakfast heads-up; something that Harry hoped would become a daily habit.

 

Meeting Louis first thing in the day injected him with an energy Harry struggled to find in the early hours normally. Something about the bouncy, acerbic assistant had him rushing down to eat and looking forward to the new day lying ahead.

 

They were back at the mansion and yoga had been interesting if nothing else. Harry hadn't laughed so hard in all his years of practising and Louis had looked like a ruffled angry bird; much like the first time they'd met. Lola had joined them for the session, reducing it to a fun play session between the three of them before long.

 

"Today is a casual day anyway," Louis added, which Harry knew about.

 

Lola was sitting eating her cereal and fruit obediently, the epitome of good behaviour. Harry narrowed his gaze at her suspiciously, wondering when the bratty version of his daughter might resurface.

 

"Tomorrow is date day," Louis reminded. "I have your invitations here..."

 

Louis handed him three cards for Harry to fill out.

 

"You have a breakfast date in the local cafe, lunch with market shopping and dinner at the swanky place in town."

 

"Alrighty," Harry nodded, combing his fringe back gently.

 

"We can bring Lola on set," Louis promised. "I have several women on standby who will gladly baby-sit."

 

Harry's lips turned down at that, green eyes flicking to blue.

 

"I don't like leaving her with strangers at the best of times," he said. "Jane was a necessity but at least she had the credentials."

 

Louis licked his lips.

 

"Okay, I'll call around the childcare services again," he promised. "I'm sure I can rustle something up..."

 

"Want Louis," Lola mumbled into her Rice Krispies.

 

"I think we know that, Lo," Harry replied. "That's what got us in this mess."

 

Louis bounced from foot to foot nervously, hands fisted and stacked on top of each other.

 

"I mean...I do have six little sisters."

 

Harry peered at him.

 

"Six?"

 

"Yeah," Louis shrugged.

 

Harry pursed his lips, glancing at his daughter.

 

"Lola, finish your cereal while I talk to Louis in private," he requested gently, getting up to kiss her curls before leading Louis onto the balcony where he could still view his daughter whilst shielding their conversation from her little ears.

 

He pulled the balcony door closed slightly.

 

"If you look after her tomorrow she probably won't like the Nanny you hire to replace Jane," Harry sighed. "She's taken a shine to you, I'm afraid."

 

Louis nodded.

 

"I'll be around," he shrugged. "I can tell the new Nanny that it's okay for Lola to come say Hi."

 

"That's-" Harry's face creased, his sigh was heavy. "I couldn't ask that of you."

 

"I'm offering," Louis smiled brightly. "All in a day's work, really."

 

"Really?" Harry enquired dryly. "You always baby-sit your Bachelor's children?"

 

Louis laughed, glancing inside at the solemn girl sitting at the table slurping up her cereal milk from a spoon.

 

"Can't say we've had someone with a child before," he commented, but his smile was soft. "Kind of nice, to be honest. Reminds me of home."

 

Harry watched him until he looked back at him, chin jutted to meet Harry's height.

 

"You're sure about this?" He checked.

 

Louis smirked.

 

"She can't have worse tantrums than me."

 

Harry let his lips meld into a relieved smile.

 

"Alright. Let's try it." He conceded. "I'll try and talk her into not being a brat for the day," Harry added as he moved to slip inside.


	3. Chapter 3

"So what do ya think of this beautiful place then?"

 

Niall Horan was, if anything, as bright and bubbly as Louis was. A breath of fresh air on a breakfast date.

 

Harry had picked him because he hadn't talked to him much at all since the dinner and they may only be a couple of days in but there were already some guys who he seemed to have a natural affinity with.

 

"It's nice," Harry drawled as he looked around. He'd worn his blue jeans with a red check shirt today, long hair tousled and loose. His favourite brown suede boots were on his feet. Niall wore similar clothing; they almost looked like a matching couple.

 

Harry snorted to himself quietly at the idea.

 

"What do ya eat for breakfast then? Are you one of them healthy types?"

 

Harry grinned.

 

"Try to be. In my work you need a lot of protein though so I usually have a good cooked meal or oatmeal with fruit."

 

"I hope this place does pancakes..." Niall opened the door with a flourish, allowing Harry to duck through.

 

They found  their table by the window where they could be filmed; the production crew quickly settling around them to cause minimum disruption. In the near-distance by a fountain in the square, Harry could see Louis walking Lola around the edge where people would no doubt sit when the sun got too hot. He held her hand so she didn't fall in. His little girl was babbling away and Louis to his credit wasn't flagging, yet. They were only an hour in. Harry was literally waiting for the wailing to begin.

 

Harry learned everything there was to know about Ireland. He learned an equal amount about Niall. In comparison, Niall didn't maybe learn quite as much about Harry but Harry would definitely invite him on another personal date but for the fact he loved hearing Niall's lilt as he talked about everything under the sun endlessly.

 

Once they'd filmed a few extra scenes giving a summary of their date, Harry went to find Louis to grab Lola for a catch-up while he had his make-up and hair re-done in a cool trailer that was parked up in a side street.

 

"Where's Lola?" Harry asked Nigel as the nervy spectacled man hovered behind the cameras.

 

"She's um-they're-"

 

Harry looked around the square, not seeing sign of his charge or his assistant. He asked around the crew, all of them shrugging shoulders at the question and Harry felt his heart slam in his chest in panic.

 

What if-

 

_Oh god._

 

What if Louis had taken her? What if he was some secret child-stealer who sold off pretty little girls to child-less families? What if Lola had fallen in the fountain and Louis had taken her to get medical care? Shouldn't somebody know that? Shouldn't they-

 

The loud squeal of laughter was unmistakeable. Harry began to run in the direction of it, stumbling into the doorway of a small toy shop; the contents of which were very old-fashioned toys of various descriptions.

 

"Lo?" He panted, hand on his chest as his daughter came into view clutching a scary-looking painted wooden doll; a pink princess dress-up outfit pulled on over her dungarees and a plastic tiara tucked into her hair.

 

"Daddy!" She beamed. "Look!"

 

The fact that she didn't run to him but instead pointed at her new child-minder, made Harry switch his gaze to Louis very quickly. Louis was sat cross-legged, a chagrined smirk on his lips as Harry took in the scene.

 

He had a tiara on as-well, a pretty silver one and his nails were painted pale pink.

 

"Oh lord," Harry muttered, his stomach dropping into his feet. "Lo, what did you do?"

 

"Louis is pretty!" Lola exclaimed as though that covered everything. "Look! Princess!"

 

Harry blinked, feet finally correlating to his brain to bring him further inside the shop.

 

"I promise I'll pay for all this," Harry told the shop-keeper as he gestured at the mess his child had made.

 

"Daddy," Lola called him sharply. "You didn't tell Louis how pretty he looks."

 

His daughter pouted at him, crossing her arms.

 

"He always looks pretty, honey, now why don't we take everything to the checkout that we want to take with us, hm?"

 

"See!" Lola's hand curled on Louis' bent knee. "He thinks you're _always_ pretty."

 

"Ha!" Louis nodded with a forced smile, slowly standing from his seated position to face Harry with a sheepish look. "I-"

 

"Is this how you take care of your sisters?" Harry asked amusedly as the shopkeeper rung up the plethora of purchases.

 

Louis slipped the tiara off to have it scanned, taking it from Lola when she poked it into his thigh after taking off the price tag. His hand automatically lifted to slide it back into the front of his hair.

 

Harry's eyes shifted there, glancing over his face and returning to the decoration.

 

Louis shrugged to Harry's question.

 

"Easiest thing to do with girls is play princesses."

 

"You'll never get rid of her now," Harry warned.

 

Louis' lips twitched.

 

"How was brunch?"

 

Harry wasn't expecting Louis to ask about his date; he felt something strange in his chest and put it down to his previous panic finally residing.

 

"Good, I think."

 

"Who's up next?"

 

"Nick," Harry hummed. "He's British too."

 

"Barely," Louis snorted, much to Harry's amusement. "He's lived in LA for ten years," Louis added in explanation of his derision.

 

"At least I don't have to worry too much about re-locating," Harry offered.

 

"There is that," Louis agreed as Harry paid for his goods and took the bagged items in one big hand.

 

"I have to get my hair and make up done," Harry tipped his head towards the door, clasping Lola's hand in his and leading her away from the remaining toys.

 

"Of course. I'm in charge, remember?" Louis asked and Harry answered with a knowing smirk.

 

//

 

"Nigel, for fuck's sake! I'd think you had it in for me if I thought you had half a brain," Louis muttered the second part of his insult to himself, glaring at the geeky runner menacingly.

 

A whole cup of orange juice was now happily soaking into the front of his once-white t-shirt.

 

"You said the 'f' word!" Lola tugged on Louis' hand in reprimand.

 

"Yeah I did," Louis winced, getting onto one knee to cup her arm. "I'm sorry Lola."

 

"You say bad words a lot," she admonished, shocked.

 

Louis dipped his chin with a sigh.

 

"Are we not friends anymore?"

 

Lola giggled, little hands going up to cover her mouth, then pushing out under her curly hair to fluff it outwards.

 

"Don't be silly!"

 

Louis feigned surprise, hand against his chest.

 

"I'm forgiven?"

 

"Pretty Louis," Lola replied, as though that made any sense.

 

Louis gritted his teeth as he smiled.

 

"That's going to stick, huh?"

 

Lola nodded with a big, toothy grin.

 

"Rightio," Louis nodded to accept his fate.

 

"Louis...sir," Nigel tapped him on the shoulder.

 

Louis stood up to face him.

 

"I've got you a new t-shirt..."

 

Louis picked up the grey Harley Davidson tee and squinted at it.

 

"Who did you think you were buying for? The Hulk?" Louis held the thing up and pictured how many times he could fit in the huge garment.

 

"It's from the rack in the trailer," Nigel began but Louis sighed and rolled his eyes knowing that the item was one of Harry's costumes but in the circumstances, Harry wouldn't be needing a costume-change and Louis was wet through.

 

"Hold this," Louis thrust the top at Nigel and pulled his own t-shirt over his head, Lola clinging to his thigh as he did so.

 

"Lola-Grace!" Harry's voice leaped through the production crew and landed in a rush upon them; Louis frozen into place half-undressed, hair scuffed by the removal of his t-shirt.

 

Harry faltered a bit in his step but swooped Lola up into his arms to press a raspberry against her shoulder earning him a giggle. Louis wiped the wet off his chest with the dry edge of his t-shirt, eyes going over the father-daughter pair curiously.

 

"Louis said the 'f' word," Lola told her father.

 

Louis rolled his eyes and sucked his teeth.

 

"Thought we were still friends," Louis murmured as he handed his sodden t-shirt to Nigel and reached for the grey one to tug on.

 

He turned to Harry as his fingers unfurled the hem to tug it over his belly. Something curled into his stomach as he caught Harry's gaze there, low by the last strip of his torso as he covered it up. Just then, olive eyes jumped to his and plush lips parted.

 

"I-"

 

Louis tilted his head in silent question, adjusting the gaping neckline of the top evenly over his collarbones.

 

"Daddy, he's wearing your t-shirt," Lola piped up from her position against Harry's chest.

 

Louis o'd his mouth, looking down and then back up.

 

"I thought this belonged to the set wardrobe- _sh_...I mean, sugar. _Sugar_."

 

Harry's gaze stayed on him, impassive but keen.

 

"It looks good on you," Harry decided. "Keep it."

 

Louis swallowed, ignoring the fizzing in his belly.

 

"Yeah, well. If Nigel here hadn't gotten over-excited with Lola's orange juice then-"

 

Louis glared daggers at the man who was becoming the bane of his life.

 

Harry's lips twitched at hiding a smile but Louis didn't ask what he found funny.

 

"Lunch over already?" Louis checked his watch, not expecting Harry back for another hour.

 

Harry pressed his lips together, giving short nod.

 

"All done."

 

Louis eyes him curiously, wanting to ask more questions about why they'd finished so early but he decided to let it drop.

 

"Right. Well you've got free time now until six when we re-start the shoot for dinner," he said. "You might want to film some of your narratives now so you get to finish a bit quicker tonight."

 

"That'd be great," Harry admitted, looking at Lola then. "Have you been behaving?"

 

Lola nodded.

 

"The new Nanny comes tomorrow so you need to be better than ever, okay?"

 

Lola pouted, sliding a look at Louis wistfully.

 

"Okay."

 

"Promise me, Lo..."

 

"I promise."

 

Harry kissed her cheek.

 

"If you're good tomorrow we can have an ice-cream date after dinner."

 

Lola gasped, eyes lighting up, body suddenly sitting upright in his arms.

 

"Can we? Daddy, can we have a date?"

 

"Yep," Harry grinned, Lola's fingers tucking into his dimple and tangling in his long hair. "Just us, okay?"

 

"Just us," Lola repeated, laying her head against his shoulder.

 

//

 

His dinner with Liam went better than lunch with Nick.

 

Harry hadn't shared his thoughts with Louis but he'd decided at lunch that Nick wouldn't be getting a rose.

 

He'd given one to Niall in the morning and Liam got one after a pleasant- if slightly benign-evening but Nick had made a couple of comments which Harry knew meant the man wouldn't co-exist well with Lola.

 

He still had two group dates left to partake in before the final ceremony on Friday to select his other three choices so he resigned himself to appearing in good spirits for both activities.

 

When it came to the rose ceremony, Harry was a wreck.

 

Lola had thankfully adapted to her new Nanny much better than the last one, citing Lottie as _'the_ _best princess in all the land'_ after their first day together. He hadn't been entirely shocked to find out that Lottie was in fact one of Louis' sisters and a fully qualified au pair.

 

It helped that Lottie let Lola see Louis at least once a day.

 

Now Harry paced back and forth in his bedroom at the mansion, called for by Nigel three times already which left Harry wondering where Louis was and why he wasn't the one knocking on his door telling him to _'please'_ hurry down stairs.

 

Louis didn't knock. He just burst in, arms folded across his chest as he watched Harry panic.

 

"What's all this then?" Louis asked.

 

Harry flicked him a wide-eyed look. He wiped the sweat off his upper lip, tugging the lower one between thumb and forefinger as he stormed back and forth.

 

"I can't do this...why did I ever think I could do this?

 

"What _are_ you doing?" Louis mused, arching a brow.

 

"Telling people that I don't want them," Harry worried. "I barely know these guys, I-"

 

Louis walked further into the room and halted Harry with gentle hands to his biceps. Harry felt trussed up in his three-piece suit, the grey tweed design popular at the moment, apparently.

 

"Okay, for one, you need to calm down. Nobody died," Louis told him flatly. "For a second, this is a _competition_. It means someone wins and five people lose. Everyone knows that."

 

"But-"

 

"Thirdly, don't flatter yourself," Louis scoffed, causing Harry to stare at him, dumbfounded. "Who's to say any of those stunners in there want you anyway?"

 

Harry blinked, swallowing hard.

 

"Oh god, you're right."

 

"That's not to say they don't," Louis' fingers deftly adjusted his bow-tie, dusting off his shoulders and straightening the front of his jacket. His thumb wiped away something against Harry's jaw.

 

"They put too much foundation on," Louis frowned, distracted as Harry's gaze focused on him for that moment. "You don't need it."

 

"I'll-" Harry's voice cracked when he tried to speak. "I'll tell them."

 

"So will I," Louis murmured, taking a step back with a satisfied nod. "You look amazing, Harold. Go pick your Princesses."

 

Harry snorted out a laugh at Louis' teasing joke, a private one of sorts between them and Lola.

 

"Is Lola with Lottie still?" Louis checked.

 

Harry nodded.

 

"Okay, I'll take you down," Louis laid a gentle hand to the small of Harry's back and did just that.

 

//

 

Nick was gone.

 

 _Good_.

 

Louis hadn't liked him from the start. He was easily the most demanding contestant and thought himself to be god's gift to men.

 

Louis had hoped he might be one of the early ones but after Harry's lunch with him he hadn't been sure Harry would ditch him in the first week.

 

"Snap!" Lola called loudly, smacking her playing card onto the table loudly.

 

Louis tutted and laid his next card down slowly.

 

She had won three times in a row now, it was getting embarrassing.

 

"Lo?" Harry's voice threaded through the mansion corridors as he headed for the breakfast room; poking his head inside to find the pair of them playing card games.

 

"Oh, you're here," Harry said, pausing just inside the doorway.

 

Louis looked up, flicking his fringe away.

 

It was Saturday, officially the weekend with two days off to spend as he wished. He couldn't explain why he was here with Harry's daughter when he could be skateboarding down the main street and shopping for new clothes.

 

"We're here," Louis said, eyes going over Harry's attire.

 

Still those blue jeans and brown boots. Today he wore a mostly unbuttoned simple white shirt.

 

"I didn't realise crew stayed all weekend," Harry commented as he came into the room to sit down.

 

"Not all the crew," Louis shrugged. "I got up late and saw this one wandering around the kitchen."

 

"Lola, I told you not to-"

 

"Sorry, Daddy," Lola said obediently, focused on her cards.

 

"You could have hurt yourself."

 

"You said if there was an adult it was okay," she defended. "Louis was there."

 

"Not sure Louis can be described as an adult," Harry teased quietly, earning a stuck-out tongue from Louis.

 

"Right, well now that you're back," Louis laid his cards down gently. "Guess I better get out of your hair."

 

"You could-" Harry cleared his throat as Louis scraped back his chair. "Uh...you could show us around town?" Harry posed.

 

Louis finished getting up and stretched, pulling his arms over his head. Harry's eyes dipped to his belly-button as it was exposed and then flicked away again.

 

"I was going to take my skateboard and ride down the main street," Louis shared. "Do some shopping."

 

"Could you show us where the park is?" Harry wondered. "Maybe the church, too?"

 

"Church?" Louis questioned then with a smirk.

 

"We go every Sunday," Lola said. "Grandma likes to go."

 

Harry pulled out the cross on the chain around his neck.

 

"Family tradition."

 

"Thought the church didn't like g-a-y-s," Louis whispered.

 

"Depends what you believe in," Harry told him. "Personally I believe in love."

 

Louis kept his gaze for a minute.

 

"Get ready then," he rolled his eyes. "I'll show you the sights."

 

Lola made a cheering noise and slid down from the table to hug Louis around the legs.

 

//

 

Zayn Malik was easily (aesthetically speaking) the best looking man Harry had ever met.

 

His dark skin and dark eyes with curly lashes immediately drew an attraction that Harry had rarely felt towards another man.

 

He was also the perfect date for the Gallery on Monday although the guys had been split into two groups of three to make it easier for Harry to get to know them. It seemed Zayn had somewhat monopolised him for the trip since he was an art-lover.

 

Harry didn't understand then, why he found his eye wandering from the Van Gogh they were admiring towards a short brunette of an entirely different description than the one beside him.

 

Louis was looking at art, too but slightly off-camera so as not to be filmed. He was frowning at a huge Pollock and Harry couldn't help the way he dimpled, saving himself from snorting out his amusement. Trust Louis to try and make sense of art.

 

Luckily, Zayn thought Harry's fond, dimpled smile was aimed at him.

 

"You get me?" Zayn asked, then, smiling back.

 

Harry nodded.

 

"I get you."

 

"I knew you would," Zayn smiled charmingly, his hand sliding onto Harry's back. "Shall we go for a walk outside?"

 

Harry hummed his agreement and let the other man guide him towards the exit.

 

//

 

"You know, normally I'd have kissed you by now..."

 

Harry's brows rose as he glanced at the man sat next to him on the little wall they'd found in a quiet street, away from the other guys. Harry knew he had to head back soon to give all the competitors a fair chance but right now Zayn's quiet voice was soothing along with the sunlight and empty street.

 

"I'm a traditional guy," Harry smirked, eyes tracing over Zayn's face. "I like to get to know someone before I kiss them."

 

"That's the cowboy in you," Zayn observed. "All gentlemanly manners and old-school dating."

 

Harry brushed his hands down his thighs, having chosen white jeans for today's outing along with a brightly coloured floral shirt.

 

"You're a fast-moving man then?" Harry asked. "Would rather kiss first and ask questions later?"

 

Zayn shrugged, twisting toward him and sliding his own hand onto Harry's thigh. Their faces were close; as though they were whispering each other secrets.

 

"We don't get much time to make an impression," Zayn mused, his other hand coming up to cup the back of Harry's neck.

 

Harry moved to veer back but Zayn's hand pressed him close, into the kiss. It only lasted five seconds before Harry regained his senses and pulled away; blinking wide eyes at the other man, lips fallen open.

 

"You-"

 

"Hold it there," the camera-man put up a hand. "Can we re-take that?"

 

Harry turned his face to glare at the camera-man, by-passing the lens of the camera.

 

"We're not acting, here," Harry told him candidly, annoyed.

 

The guy lowered his camera and Harry's eyes flicked past him into the street.

 

Louis was standing watching him with a strange look on his face but something unfurled in Harry's chest at seeing him there. It felt like relief, almost. Like reassurance.

 

He turned back to the man beside him.

 

"Zayn, what was that?" Harry asked, betrayal evident in his eyes.

 

"That-" The other man began, "That was me thinking you wanted to get something going..."

 

"After I just told you-" Harry huffed, not sure he could finish his sentence.

 

"Guess I read it wrong," Zayn mused, his dark eyes flicking to Louis who had now moved closer to them to re-direct the camera crew back inside the gallery.

 

"Everything okay here?" Louis asked as he garnered Zayn's attention.

 

"Ask Harry," Zayn murmured as he got up, mooching with his hands in his pockets back towards the gallery as well.

 

Louis rested his backside on the wall, twiddling his thumbs.

 

"He kissed me," Harry said after a moment.

 

"I saw," Louis swallowed, looking down the street.

 

"And I told him-I told him I wanted to get to know him first."

 

Louis' smile was weak.

 

"At least you tried to be a gentleman."

 

"I'm not a Neanderthal," Harry snapped, twisting to face Louis now.

 

Louis held his hands up in surrender.

 

"Not accusing you of being one."

 

"Shit, I'm sorry," Harry heaved a sigh, digging fingers into his hair. He itched to unravel his bun and shake his curls out but they had more filming to do, yet.

 

"The other guys are asking after you," Louis peeked at him then, long lashes catching the sunlight in their tips.

 

Harry nodded.

 

"I think I need another minute."

 

Louis shifted to get up, tugged back by the hem of his t-shirt.

 

"Will you sit with me?" Harry asked. "Just so-you know...nobody will come over while you're here."

 

"Absolutely," Louis settled his ass back on the wall. "I'll sit here as long as you need me to."

 

//

 

Niall got bored quickly and suggested the group head to a nearby bar to sink some pints.

 

Harry knew Lola was in good hands with Lottie and the idea of relaxing with the guys in an informal setting had him shaking out his hair the way he'd ached to earlier in the day.

 

Alex found a space beside him; some of the others happy to wait for Harry to choose them to spend time with. Zayn hung back at the bar, sipping a dark drink.

 

"He's telling everyone you've kissed," Alex told him.

 

"Is he now," Harry drawled, rubbing his thumb over a smudge on his perfect white jeans and only making it worse.

 

"Is it true?"

 

Harry's gaze flicked over each guy who was now hanging close by either playing pool or waiting to.

 

"I'm a simple man and I may not be from the city but you know that I have a daughter here. She's five years old and I'm not running out on dates every weekend and dragging strange guys home. I don't do one-night stands," He expressed earnestly. "But if you want to earn my love then I will give it to you happily. But it does have to be _earned_ ," he emphasised.

 

Alex nodded his head in understanding.

 

"I get it," he assured.

 

Harry finished his drink.

 

"I'm gonna head out," he decided, putting his glass down to stand. "See you back at the ranch."

 

Alex watched him go with a thoughtful expression.

 

//

 

"Oh, out already?" Louis pushed himself off the wall outside the bar, smiling wanly.

 

"You waited?" Harry asked.

 

"It's my job," Louis shrugged. "I'm responsible for getting you back to the mansion in one piece."

 

"I could have been in there all night," Harry argued.

 

Louis swallowed.

 

"Insurance and all that," he waved a hand airily about.

 

Harry's eyes crept to his.

 

"Insurance?"

 

Louis' lips twisted in trying to fight down his smile.

 

"Yeah. Those super-model legs of yours are worth millions. I have to make sure they get to where they need to be each day."

 

"Super-model?" Harry's brow raised a notch, his face relaxing from the tension of the day; dimple pooling in his cheek.

 

"Yeah, look at you," Louis looked up dramatically high, as though Harry were as tall as a building. "Sky high."

 

"No, I'm just the average 6'2," Harry assured with a rueful smirk.

 

"Oi, oi," Louis snorted. "Less of the height-shaming if you don't mind."

 

"I never said it was shameful to be small," Harry remarked dryly.

 

"I'm not sm-never mind," Louis decided not to argue. "Ready to go?"

 

Harry bit his lip, something waning in his tummy that he couldn't quite put a finger on.

 

"I didn't see the watercolours in the gallery," he said then, tucking his hair back where it was now a little wild and unruly.

 

"Oh they were brilliant," Louis' eyes lit up, "You've got to see them before we go..."

 

Harry chuckled as Louis grabbed his wrist and tugged him along the sidewalk back to the place they began that very morning.

 

 


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for being lovely!
> 
> Ang

 

It became a game for Harry.

 

Who he was in front of the constant cameras was not the same person he was behind them. He played the smooth charming debonair for the scenes that required it and he tried to get to know his suitors properly in any down-time that existed.

 

Zayn left at the second rose ceremony and Harry hadn't properly connected with anyone else to know who would be staying for week four. So he entered week three with enthusiasm; enjoying several yoga dates which he decided to have with the guys to see if they were any better at it than Louis.

 

The fact that he missed Louis' antics during every single date should have given him a clue. It didn't. So on Thursday he went into the organised pottery class with a clear, fresh mind. They still had three weeks left. Plenty of time to click with someone.

 

Niall was surprisingly good at the pottery. Harry filmed a comical scene with him, reminiscent of the movie Ghost, Harry was the _Patrick Swayze_ to Niall's _Demi Moore_. It would certainly make for entertaining television once it was edited with the song from the film.

 

Harry stayed behind at the class, bringing Lola in to make something out of clay, too. She sat in his lap on the tiny potter's stool as he pumped the wheel with his foot and formed the mound of clay carefully on the spinning pedestal; thumbs dipping into the centre to carve out a bowl.

 

"Daddy can I make a vase?" Lola asked him.

 

"You can make whatever you like," Harry told her, shifting closer so that she could reach. It meant he couldn't pump the pedal with his too-long legs so he huffed and looked around for an alternative idea.

 

"What do you need, Harold?" Louis bounced in, rubbing his hands together at just the right moment. Harry's face lit up. "I take it back," Louis quickly stopped, hands out in front of him.

 

Harry laughed.

 

"No, I mean...I can't hold Lola and do the pedal," he gestured to the side of the wheel. "Could you pump while we make a vase?"

 

"A vase?" Louis wrinkled his nose. "Bit ambitious, don't you think?"

 

"Lola wants a vase," Harry explained.

 

"I want a vase to put pretty flowers in to give to you," Lola told Louis candidly.

 

Louis had the grace to look flustered.

 

"Me? Why would you want to give flowers to me?"

 

"Because they're pretty like you," Lola stated as though that were obvious, as though Louis were being particularly stupid.

 

Harry stroked a hand through Lola's hair, dried clay coating nearly every exposed inch of him.

 

"I don't know where she's suddenly got this idea from," he murmured in semi-apology. "I've never heard her call guys pretty before."

 

"Because there haven't been any pretty guys before Louis," Lola exasperated with a sigh. "Daddy, have you seen any guys as pretty as Louis?"

 

Harry's tongue rolled up in his mouth.

 

"Uh..."

 

"Zayn was a pretty guy," Louis inserted quickly.

 

"Not on the _inside_ ," Lola recounted knowingly with a nod, her small hands squishing the clay mound into something ugly.

 

"Baby-girl, why don't you let me do the shape?" Harry murmured into her ear.

 

Lola twisted and giggled at him, eyes lighting as she planted two clay-wetted hands against his cheeks.

 

"Daddy, _you're_ the pretty vase!" She stated, wiping her hands down his face.

 

" _I'm_ the vase?" Harry stood up, lifting Lola with him and bending to turn her upside down, whooshing her through the air. "But won't I dry up and-"

 

Harry froze, arms tight around his daughter's waist.

 

"I'm a vase now, Lo," he said through tight lips. "You're the flowers."

 

Louis watched them with an amused eye-roll, wandering over to take a seat at the pedestal where he stead-fastedly started the foot pump and made to rescue the clump of clay laying on the pedestal.

 

"Why don't you just leave it to the experts?" Louis muttered, earning a clayed hand in his hair from Lola as she squealed out giggles while Harry carried her around; flying her through the air.

 

"Neee-owww," Harry made aeroplane sound effects to match his actions.

 

"Someone's gonna get hurt," Louis counselled lightly as his mound began to take form, slowly but surely.

 

"Nah, we do this all the time, don't we Lo?" Harry asked his giggling child.

 

"Faster!" She begged, putting her arms out as Harry lifted her up.

 

Louis had just got the clay into a pot-like shape, ready to thin out the top into a cone for a vase when Harry's lanky body stumbled backwards into him and his stool; knocking Louis to the ground. Harry tripped over his falling body; wrapping Lola in his arms to soften the fall; pulling her against his chest as he landed with a thud on his back.

 

"Ow," Louis whined first, clutching his ankle.

 

"Oops," Harry sucked in air, winded. His eyes sparkled a bit and blacked out at the edges.

 

"Hey...are you alright?" Louis sat up and got to his knees, checking over Lola first.

 

The little girl climbed from Harry's body and clung to Louis' back.

 

"Is he okay, Louis? Is Daddy breathing?"

 

Louis laid his hand against Harry's chest, pressing two fingers into his wrist to check his pulse. It was there, steady but slow but his eyes were unfocused, all big pupils and tiny slivers of green.

 

"Did you hit your head on the way down?" Louis asked, flipping into first-aid mode.

 

"No I -"

 

"Shh," Louis placed the back of his hand to Harry's forehead. "No temperature. "

 

"I'm just-"

 

Louis shushed him again, listening to Harry's breathing while measuring his heartbeat.

 

"Asthmatic?" Louis asked, meeting his gaze.

 

Harry nodded with a twist of his lips, his nostrils flaring. 

 

"Okay I need to call a medic," he reached into his pocket for his mobile, wrist caught in Harry's long fingers.

 

"I'll be okay in a minute." Harry begged.  

 

Louis looked at him with a swallow.

 

"I'm afraid I have to," Louis apologised. "Network rules. Even if you're okay I need to get you checked over."

 

Harry's eyes held his.

 

"Right," he sighed. "Insurance."

 

Louis pursed his lips.

 

"You're getting to know my job well young Jedi. "

 

Louis tried to ignore the way Harry's hand curved around his thigh as he requested an ambulance; tried to pretend his own hand didn't move to cup Harry's head to cushion it from the hard floor.

 

Lola burst into tears when Harry tried to sit up and couldn't and Louis had to cuddle her with one arm while trying to keep a stubborn Harry horizontal until help arrived.

 

When the first aid team finally arrived he held Lola's hand and shuffled them away to the side a bit so that she could see what was happening without getting in anyone's way.

 

"Is your Dad always this clumsy?" Louis asked the sniffling little girl.

 

She nodded, answering with a wobbly voice.

 

"Always."

 

"Always?" Louis checked.

 

He sat cross legged and Lola sat in his lap in the same position, looking out.

 

"He used to play football at barbecues but he broke his big toe once..." Lola recounted. 

 

"Ouch. That must have hurt..."

 

"And one time he slipped at the edge of the pool and hurt his back..."

 

Louis huffed a breath into her hair, watching the medical team check Harry over only to get him sitting up and sucking on an inhaler.

 

"Daddy has bad lungs," Lola whispered that part, leaning back against Louis' chest. "Do you have any bad things Louis?"

 

"Words mostly," Louis mused.

 

"Daddy won't die will he?"

 

"No!" Louis cupped her arm gently. "People with bad lungs live just as long as everybody else."

 

"I don't have a Mummy," Lola added quietly. 

 

"It's okay Lola. Lots of children don't have Mummies."

 

"Where do they go then?" Lola wondered. "If their Daddies are sick?"

 

"Uh, to Aunties and Uncles?" Louis suggested.

 

Lola clutched at Louis' arm. 

 

"Can I come with you if Daddy's sick?"

 

Louis swallowed heavily, a bitter-sweet smile flickering across his lips.

 

"I'm not sure, sweetheart. I don't think so."

 

"Why not?" Lola twisted to gasp. "I want to come with you!"

 

"I'm sure your family would be much better-"

 

"No!" Lola wailed, climbing out of his lap as he shot a look to Harry who was now sucking on oxygen.

 

"Lola-Grace," Harry warned in a low voice once he'd slipped his oxygen mask away from his mouth only to break into coughs.

 

Lola glared at Louis but inched to his side on seeing her father struggling to breathe. 

 

"I don't like you anymore," she whispered.

 

Louis looked at her, his heart breaking. He couldn't take back his words because he'd be lying. But the little girl hero-worshipped him and he had no idea why.

 

"That's a shame," Louis said, splaying a hand on her small back. "Because I still like you."

 

Lola harrumphed and leaned into him, eventually sliding down to rest her elbow on his thigh.

 

"I suppose we can still be friends," she huffed as though it was the biggest disposition in her short life.

 

Harry caught the exchange and grinned through his oxygen mask.

 

"Isn't this fun?"

 

And Louis looked at him for a moment thinking actually; it _was_. It was fun watching Harry play with his daughter, it was fun being part of their dynamic. And even when Lola was being difficult  (along with her Dad) Louis didn't feel like he wanted out of there. 

 

Not like the other Bachelors who literally ordered him around and then sent him away at a click of their fingers. He gladly escaped those kind.

 

"Can you concentrate on breathing please, Harold," Louis told him primly. "Kind of important."

 

Harry rolled his eyes but did as he was told. Soon enough he was allowed to stand up fully, reaching down to lift Lola into his arms for a long and clinging hug.

 

"I think we better just head in," Harry told him.

 

Louis nodded.

 

"Yeah of course. Absolutely. " 

 

He hovered as Harry hesitated.

 

"You sure you feel okay now?"

 

Harry smiled with a tired nod.

 

"Just sleepy. Nothing a good night's rest won't fix."

 

Louis rubbed his hands together as Harry moved toward the door.

 

"Goodnight," he called before they disappeared through it, Lola's little wave leaving an aching in his chest.

 

//

 

"Jesus, Nigel! It's really not that difficult to make a drink without spilling it..."

 

Louis' sharp voice was the first thing Harry heard when he strode on set the next day.

 

They were go-kart racing today, just James and Liam his competition and company for the daytime activity, with Niall and Alexander doing karaoke with him later that night.

 

Harry loped about slowly in his racing overalls, hands lifting his hair to gently pull it back into a low ponytail before he sneaked a bottle of water from the drinks selection and twisted the cap off while he watched Louis reprimand his assistant.

 

He rested his hip against the table and sipped his drink.

 

"I-I'm sorry Mr. Tomlinson," Nigel stuttered, pressing napkins to the front of Louis' chest where it appeared he'd spilled another liquid, possibly also water since Harry couldn't detect a stain. "I get so nervous, I can't help it..."

 

"Nervous?" Louis scoffed. "What for? You're not the one going on camera declaring your undying love for a stranger, are you?" He quipped.

 

Harry's brow lifted at that, lips pursing in silent amusement and interest as to Louis' opinion on his participation in the show.

 

"No but-"

 

"Come on, lad," Louis tutted, but his voice was definitely softer now. Harry tilted his head to catch the rasp in it. "No need to get nervous. If I can do this job, I'm sure you can..."

 

Harry had expected the biting criticism to continue, was almost inviting Louis' down-treading of the other man so he could draw a mark against him in his own mind. Louis continued to surprise him each day he got to know him but Harry knew that was part of the problem. _He wasn't supposed to be getting to know Louis_. He was supposed to be getting to know the two guys in matching racing suits who were hovering by the karts waiting for Harry to join them.

 

Harry cleared his throat as he came up behind Louis.

 

"Oh," Louis jumped a bit, twisting to narrow thick lashes at Harry. His shrewd blue eyes flicked up and down Harry's long body. "See you've taken the demonstrative approach today then, cowboy."

 

Harry shrugged, tempering his smile into two dimpled pools in his cheeks.

 

"Not in the least. I await your instructions, Obi Wan."

 

Louis' lips pulled into a reluctant grin, his eyes rolling in familiarity.

 

"Throwing the Jedi reference back in my face, I see," he mused. "Getting cheeky now you're settling in."

 

Harry merely smiled back, eyes sparkling.

 

Louis smirked, turning to check the start line.

 

"Looks like the guys are ready for you, best get over there before Mike catches you up with the camera," Louis stage-whispered. "There's a technical glitch on the sound boom they're fixing as we speak."

 

"Wonderful," Harry drawled in his best twang, rubbing his lips together to pinken them slightly and puff them up. "I'm ready for the wolves."

 

He heard Louis mutter 'You're no lamb' as he walked away, glancing back only briefly before he coasted up to the two men waiting.

 

"Hey," he greeted with a forced smile.

 

"Ready to lose?" James greeted, making Harry laugh quickly.

 

"No letting me win then?" He posed. "To woo me?"

 

Liam's eyes looked kinder as he smiled.

 

"I'd let you win. Mostly because I'm rubbish at these kinds of things but-"

 

James was shaking his head.

 

"I want you to know what kind of guy I am. I'm a guy that wins," he stated.

 

Harry nodded bemusedly with a smirk.

 

"Better get my A-game on then..."

 

"The winner gets to have a celebration lunch," Liam shrugged in explanation. "I guess there's something at stake here."

 

"What if I win?" Harry mused.

 

"You get to pick who it's with," Liam told him with a gentle pat to his chest before the three of them are moved to another spot to start filming.

 

//

 

"I'm really enjoying my time here, the go-carting was so much fun, such an adrenaline rush," Harry flicked his eyes off to the side of the camera, feet propped up on the bench in front of him in the stands where he'd hunkered down after the race was over.

 

His stomach growled hungrily but Mike was gesturing for him to carry on, to say more.

 

"Uh, Liam's a really sweet guy I can see him and I getting on real easy and James is very energetic," he commented, licking his lips.

 

His hand lifted to squeeze his bun, smoothing back the hairs from his forehead that were non-existent.

 

"Not sure how my five year old would cope with a thrill-seeker like James," he added thoughtfully. "I guess we'll have to see."

 

Mike nodded and called 'Cut' much to Harry's relief.

 

His eyes immediately searched for a familiar head of messy brown hair.

 

"Uh, is Louis-?"

 

"I'm here!" Barked the high-pitched, eager voice before Harry could ask. The shorter man leaped gracefully up the stands to pause before him, brows lifted and lip bitten.

 

There was something dusting Louis' chin and Harry squinted hard to recognise it.

 

"You have something on your face," he said flatly.

 

Louis' hand lifted to brush quickly at his chops, cheeks flushing slightly.

 

"Oh. Uh...might be the Krispy Kreme I was just scoffing since Nigel said you're on a no-sugar diet and we got a whole four boxes in for this activity..."

 

Harry couldn't help his bubble of laughter, bursting out from his lips and curling into a giggle.

 

"You were eating donuts?"

 

"You didn't need me right in that moment," Louis shrugged guiltily.

 

"No, I guess I didn't," Harry beamed at him, shaking his head.

 

"What can I do you for?" Louis asked, standing straighter.

 

"Do me for?" Harry quizzed, brow raising in that way Louis was becoming to know too well.

 

And the way Harry said it, the phrase sounded filthy. But Louis was British and it didn't mean-

 

"No, not _do_ you," Louis quickly back-tracked, his cheeks becoming more flushed. "Like do _for_ you...it's an expression-like backwards...do you for...do for you..."

 

Louis realised he'd regressed into babbling.

 

"What do you need?" He tried instead.

 

"Can we do something with kids this week?" Harry asked.

 

"Something with-"

 

"Like help out at a nursery or something?"

 

"I…guess we could arrange that," Louis pulled his phone out of his pocket as he answered distractedly, already searching up options.

 

Harry's lips turned downwards thoughtfully.

 

"None of these guys know what it's like to be a father. I won't get to see them interacting with Lola. I can't decide who I like without knowing how they get on with kids."

 

"Makes sense," Louis nodded, sitting beside Harry as he scrolled through local schools. "Wait...Fizzie's a teacher at a primary school in the hills!" Louis gasped suddenly.

 

"Fizzie?"

 

"One of my other sisters."

 

"Did they all go into childcare?" Harry mused.

 

"Pretty much," Louis smirked. "Me too when I think about it."

 

"Heyyy," Harry complained with a pout. "I'm not a child..."

 

Louis bumped his arm.

 

"Not you, silly."

 

"Now I'm silly," Harry goaded with a smile as Louis searched his sister's number and lifted the phone to his ear.

 

"Fiz, it's Lou. Yeah. Your brother..." He rolled his eyes Harry's way at that.

 

Harry unfastened the Velcro neckline of his suit, allowing some air into the hot leather ensemble. He might have imagined Louis' eyes falling to his throat, down onto his chest and back up, settling on his mouth.

 

"I need a favour," Louis said next with a swallow.

 

Harry licked his lips, eyes tracing the movement of his Adam's apple.

 

"I need to bring a couple of friends by for filming. Probably six kids max...can you get permission by Friday?"

 

Harry let his eyes trail over the back of Louis' head as he ducked away a bit to scribble something down.

 

"Yeah...alright, sure. Yes. Yes. I know I do. I owe you, okay. There I said it..."

 

"I owe you too!" Harry called over Louis' shoulder, the smaller man's eyes widening.

 

"Who's what?" He said into the phone. "Who's shouting? Um...some weirdo I think, I-"

 

Louis bit his lip, letting out a sigh as his eyes met Harry's. After a minute of silence, he took the phone away from his ear and blocked the mouthpiece.

 

"She wants to say _Hi_ ," Louis said, clearly not happy.

 

"Oh. Sorry," Harry made a face of sheepish guilt.

 

"I can tell her you're too busy," Louis offered.

 

Harry smiled and prized the phone gently from Louis' fingers.

 

"Hi," he greeted warmly into the phone. "Am I speaking to Fizzie?"

 

"Who's this?" A curious female voice asked back with the same directness Harry had come to learn from Louis.

 

"I'm Harry. I'm on Louis' show, the Bachelor?"

 

He heard Fizzie gasp.

 

" _You're_ the Bachelor?"

 

"Yeah, yeah I am," he grinned despite her being unable to see him, peeking his eyes at Louis who was staring at his feet with a twitch in his left knee.

 

"The one with the hair and the eyes and the-" She paused, overwhelmed apparently.

 

"The?" Harry prompted with a quizzical smile at the petite brunette beside him. _Just what had Louis told his sister?_

 

"Cute bum?" She queried unashamedly.

 

"Cute _bum_?" He repeated in his drawl, noting Louis was practically turned away from him now, eyes wandering all over the race-track. "You mean ass? Has Louis been taking photos of me while I'm not looking?" He wondered.

 

Louis huffed and rolled his eyes. Fizzie laughed.

 

"No, he's not a pervert. Not secretly anyway. If he takes pictures of your arse you'll know about it, he won't be shy in telling you..."

 

"Good to know," Harry murmured with a twinkle in his eyes that had Louis turning back toward him with a suspicious squint.

 

"What's she saying now? Fizzie get off the phone!" He added more loudly.

 

"So have you found your perfect date yet?" Fizzie asked innocently enough.

 

"Not yet," Harry confided softly, biting his lip.

 

Louis fidgeted, clearly wanting to rip his phone from Harry's ear but at the same time not wanting to be rude and interrupt them.

 

"You should consider _all_ the options you know," Fizzie told him. "Not just the obvious ones."

 

"Oh yeah?" Harry sat up straight and crossed his legs in front of him, leaning back against the seats behind him so he could view Louis properly and keep the phone out of his reach.

 

"Sometimes the nice guys come last," she said mysteriously. "Sometimes the best players never get picked because people think they're too small."

 

"Hmm," Harry hummed his agreement. _Too small?_ Louis was small. Had he been over-looked before? Had he been someone's second choice?

 

"Sometimes," Fizzie added in his ear. "Things happen for a reason."

 

Harry's eyes flicked to Louis in the same second Louis reached across Harry's reclined body to snatch back his phone, crashing into him as he unbalanced himself; elbow digging into Harry's groin.

 

Harry howled, Louis scrambled to right himself and Louis looked like that ruffled bird Harry likened him to when they were both upright and composed again. Harry's fingers lathed against his inner thigh to temper the smarting pain there.

 

"You're embarrassing me so I'm hanging up," Louis told his sister acidly. "See you Friday, sis."

 

Harry pursed his lips, eyes tracing over Louis' profile.

 

"Fancy a ride?" Harry asked.

 

Louis twisted to stare at him.

 

"What?"

 

"On the karts," Harry lifted his chin. "I've finished my narrative and the guys are filming theirs now so..."

 

Louis swallowed, features softening.

 

"Don't you want to get back to Lola?" Louis wondered quietly.

 

"Another twenty minutes won't hurt," Harry got up with a shrug.

 

Louis got up too.

 

"Alright, cowboy, you're on."

 

Harry nodded his acknowledgement and led the way down to the track.


	5. Chapter 5

"Louis, Louis, Louis!"

 

Harry stared open-mouthed as his daughter rushed past him to run for the man following him into her play room in the mansion; throwing herself at Louis' legs and wrapping small arms tight around them.

 

"Erm, howdy?" Harry turned and said to his daughter's back.

 

"Daddy!" She peeled herself away from Louis' body to run to him next, scooped up into his arms.

 

"Am I not your favourite anymore?" Harry mused.

 

Lottie smiled at the pair.

 

"She drew a picture of you," she assured.

 

"I love you, Daddy," Lola cooed, rubbing her cheek into Harry's shoulder.

 

Harry melted at that, kissing her forehead.

 

"I love you too."

 

"I don't have a Mummy," Lola stated then, very seriously.

 

Harry swallowed, eyes bobbing to the other people in the room.

 

"No baby, you don't."

 

"Can Louis be my Mummy?"

 

Harry opened his mouth to answer before realising he didn't have any words.

 

"I-"

 

"He's so pretty Daddy," Lola whispered. "He'd make a pretty Mummy."

 

"He would," Harry agreed with a smirk as he re-settled his daughter in his arms, setting his gaze on hers. "But a Mummy and a Daddy have to be in love, sweetheart. Louis and I aren't in love."

 

"Yet." Lola said, tapping Harry on the nose.

 

Harry avoided responding; turning his gaze to Lottie and Louis with a wan smile.

 

"Thank you both for today. We'll see you in a couple of hours."

 

The pair bid them a temporary goodbye and Harry tried to control the flaming of his cheeks until he exited the room, closing the door with a long and weary sigh.

 

"Lola-Grace, one of these days..." he warned softly.

 

Lola rested her head against his neck as he carried her up the stairs.

 

//

 

Karaoke started at ten in the bar. Niall and Alex were more engaging than his day-time dates and Harry found himself relaxing with them, talking about his home more and about what Lola meant to him.

 

They could both sing. He duetted with them both and they filmed each rendition three times over; Harry singing a country song solo for a laugh before they sat down for separate conversations.

 

It was as they started filming his one-on-one with Alex that the husky, light voice came crooning over the stereo; a perfect back-drop really to a late-night date.

 

"Fancy a dip in the pool after?" Alex asked, brow lifting in question.

 

Harry swallowed, ears straining to hear the raspy tones swaying around them.

 

_Oh it's what you do to me Oh it's what you do to me Oh it's what you do to me Oh it's what you do to me What you do to me_

 

"I actually need to see Lola," Harry explained gently. "We only had a little catch up earlier and she won't sleep properly until I'm back..."

 

Something flitted over Alex' face that Harry knew too well. _Disappointment_. It came frequently when putting your kid before your potential lover. It was something he was well-versed in and that was why he didn't fall easily.

 

It was why he came into this process with his guard up, with a skeptiscm almost as to how it would work. He'd come more for his mother's sake. She'd seen the advert and had told Harry he had the face for TV and had told him, _why not_? Why not find his next boyfriend on a show?

 

Harry hadn't wanted to let her down but he'd also been innately curious as to whether he could find someone to love under the circumstances. Was it at all possible to fall in love in six weeks?

 

"Maybe another time?" Harry posed, sipping his drink. "I can ask Lottie to take her for a bit longer and-"

 

_Hey there Delilah I've got so much left to say If every simple song I wrote to you Would take your breath away I'd write it all Even more in love with me you'd fall We'd have it all_

 

"Who is that singing?" Harry couldn't ignore his curiosity anymore, twisting his wide shoulders to spin around, leaning back to squint at the stage.

 

A familiar head of shaggy hair came into view, jolting him in his seat. He'd leaned too far to manage a shock and he tumbled helplessly to the floor.

 

"Fuck," he whispered, hauling himself up with Alex' hands cupping his arms.

 

"You okay there?" The other man asked, lips curving into a smile.

 

"I'm-" Harry frowned, checking himself over and pushing his hair away from his face as his eyes flicked over the man in front of him.

 

_Oh it's what you do to me Oh it's what you do to me Oh it's what you do to me Oh it's what you do to me What you do to me_

 

He most definitely was not okay.

 

//

 

Harry's hands were shaking at the rose ceremony that Friday.

 

Louis was there hovering behind the cameras as always, having led him down the stairs with his usual playful banter and bouncy little steps a distraction for his busily-freaking mind.

 

He knew who he was going to pick.

 

The primary school visit had decided a few things for him. Things which he'd had inklings of, but seeing James among the young people and not engaging at all had proved his initial fears true. He was not a man capable of handling children.

 

As he called out the other's names and nervously pinned on their roses, he felt his eyes sheen with emotion.

 

This was getting harder.

 

There were three guys left and he hadn't felt a spark with any of them, yet. He got on with them all, he connected the most with Niall probably. But still. None of them had him wanting to strip them naked and hump them.

 

His lips twisted in irony.

 

Last night he'd had a dream. The kind of dream that nobody really wanted to have about someone they weren't dating. But it was very definitely _Louis_ who had featured in that dream and he had been undeniably naked. And they'd been partaking in irrefutably filthy activities. And by filthy he didn't mean rolling in the mud.

 

He hadn't been able to look Louis in the eye all day.

 

Lola had kept asking for him on their day off and Harry had to be firm with her. He'd had to remind her that none of these people would be staying in their lives. They'd all be gone in less than three weeks. She'd pouted and gotten grumpy and refused to speak to him.

 

The next morning he'd found her at the breakfast table eating Co-Co Pops with none other than Louis. The man he'd told her not to get attached to. The man he'd had scorching dreams about.

 

And now he had to film several segments of narrative for the show before he'd get to see her again. Before he'd get to see Louis.

 

//

 

"Alright champ?" Louis' hand rubbed across his shirted shoulders, causing Harry to fiddle with the yellow flower corsage decorating his throat.

 

He looked up with a tired smile.

 

"I'm dandy."

 

"I can tell," Louis shoved a glass of red wine at him.

 

Harry looked at it, then back at Louis.

 

"How did you...?"

 

Louis produced a cardboard cup.

 

"I brought tea as well, just in case," he winked. "But since you took the red stuff I'll sneak the tea if you don't mind..."

 

"I don't mind," Harry slung back a mouthful of the alcohol, licking his lips of the bitter-sweet flavour.

 

"Shouldn't be much longer," Louis said.

 

"Daddy!" A loud voice pre-empted pattering footsteps, a vibrant hazel-eyed girl running into the cove where Harry was filming.

 

"Hey, beautiful!" He grinned, pulling her into his lap. "What are you doing here?"

 

"Lola-Grace!" Lottie puffed as she ran into the foray, blue eyes flicking to Louis. "Hey, bro."

 

"Not doing your job properly," Louis tutted. "Pretty sure that's instant dismissal..."

 

"There's no need to-" Harry started with a frown, cut off by Louis' hand curving onto his shoulder.

 

"I'm joking, cowboy. Don't get your panties in a twist."

 

"Princess!" Lola called, holding out her tiara to Louis.

 

Louis tilted his head feigning a smile.

 

"Hm, what's that, pretty girl?"

 

"You can be the princess..."

 

"I can be the-" Louis echoed, fingers leaving Harry's shoulder to curl around the hair decoration.

 

Lottie's eyes fell on him amusedly.

 

"Yes, Lou... _you_ can be the princess," she mocked.

 

Louis slid the tiara into his hair and tossed his head slightly, cocking a hip and laying a soft hand on it.

 

"I'm not afraid to express my feminine side."

 

Harry's mouth went dry at the connotations, his wine a lucky lifeline as he swallowed it down.

 

Louis' curves alone were enough to have him dreaming of the shorter man but the image of him in a tiara with a feminine accent to his stance had him all but growling internally, wanting to roll the other man underneath him. And that wasn't-

 

That wasn't the plan here.

 

Harry wasn't a Neanderthal anyway, he didn't roll guys around and pin them into submission. The fact he suddenly _wanted_ to was all kinds of surprising.

 

"Look, Daddy," Lola awed.

 

Harry looked. He had been looking plenty. He looked back at his daughter and kissed her nose.

 

"You shouldn't have run away from Lottie," he told her.

 

"Sorry."

 

"You need to go back to your room now. Get ready for bed, I'll be up in a minute."

 

Lola climbed down from his lap, heading for Louis. She looked up at him, head tilted back.

 

"You can borrow my tiara until tomorrow," she told him before toddling over to take Lottie's hand to lead her away from the men.

 

Harry felt his heart clench in his chest as he watched her go.

 

"Did she die?" Louis asked, voice soft.

 

Harry looked up at him.

 

"Hm?"

 

"Her mother?"

 

Harry blinked, shaking his head.

 

Louis didn't press for an answer, mooching about to check the lighting levels and the camera angle while Mike was having his break.

 

"She left," Harry said then, while Louis was watching him through the lens.

 

He came over and sat beside Harry on the love-seat.

 

"I'm sorry," he breathed.

 

"It's not your fault."

 

Louis fidgeted, hand twitching and then seemingly he made a decision, settling it gently on Harry's knee.

 

"It can't have been easy."

 

"She's still around," Harry shared then, with a tight press of his lips. "It's complicated."

 

"Does Lola know?"

 

Harry shook his head, quick and abortive.

 

"Fuck."

 

Harry turned his face toward Louis then, a ghost of a smile curling his lips upwards.

 

"You said the 'F' word."

 

Louis' hand settled more securely on his thigh.

 

"I think the situation deserves it."

 

"She has an addiction," Harry ventured, licking his lips, eyes clinging to Louis' as if testing his trust. "Lola was born with it and we weaned her off but-"

 

"Harry..."

 

"She came back when she was two. I don't think Lola knew it was her Mom but I had to make a choice...let her back in to her life or-"

 

"Or?"

 

"Or ask her to leave for good," Harry shrugged but the gesture was lighter than the weight.of his words.

 

"What did you do?"

 

"I was letting her back in," Harry admitted with a sigh. "Not with Lola, I refused to let her see Lola until she proved to me she could take care of her but-"

 

Louis' hand slid off his thigh and Harry's face creased with missing it until it smoothed over his back between his tight shoulder-blades, easing some of the tension there.

 

"But she left, disappeared one night and never came back."

 

Louis' hand slid down his spine.

 

"You loved her," he stated rather than asked.

 

Harry gave a wet laugh.

 

"I hate saying that Lola was a mistake because she wasn't," Harry ground out lowly. "She _isn't_. But how she was made...maybe that was, you know? I thought maybe I liked guys _and_ girls, I hadn't labelled myself or put a definition on it."

 

"It's okay," Louis soothed him gently. "You don't have to."

 

"Having Lola was the catalyst," Harry admitted hoarsely. "When Lola's Mom wanted us to have something steady...I knew I couldn't do it."

 

Louis' arm squeezed his middle.

 

"And here you are," he murmured.

 

When Harry looked at him, he still had the tiara in his hair, slightly wonky but cute all the same. His eyes flicked over it, over Louis' face. His lips tugged up in the corner.

 

"Here I am."

 

Harry leaned in a bit, to decipher the scent he could barely make out on Louis' skin; to determine the true shade of blue that his eyes were. His lips were tempting; thin upper lip and fuller lower lip but both of them parting to create an invitingly kissable mouth.

 

Harry had kissed that mouth in his dreams. He'd felt Louis' fingers course through his hair. He'd rocked his hard body down against Louis' and he'd come from that alone. He'd woken wet in his boxers; a fevered sweat on his skin.

 

The memories of that dream dragged his lids low, his lips lower; his face angling to make it easy to connect their mouths only-

 

"Ready for Take Two?" Mike's voice cut into the room two seconds before his body; long enough for both men to startle and jump back from whatever was about to happen.

 

"Uh...ready," Harry slid his gaze away towards the doorway to check nobody else had seen.

 

"You joining us for this part, Lou?" Mike asked with a grin.

 

Louis rolled his eyes with a huff.

 

"Just giving the Bachelor a pep-talk," Louis stood up, hand reluctantly sliding off Harry's back. "All good now, superstar?"

 

Harry looked up at him; a bubbling in his gut that told him all too familiarly that he was the farthest thing from good.

 

"I'm good," he forced his tongue to lie.

 

"Right, clocking off time for me, then..."

 

Louis didn't bounce to the doorway this time, feet treading softly on the carpet and when he got there he turned to look back. Harry forced his eyes to stay firmly on the camera; even when Louis slid through the doorway with a sigh.

 

//

 

Only Harry and Lola were present for yoga.

 

It helped Harry to settle his mind a bit and refocus on what was important.

 

It was the weekend and he had two days with Lola before his fourth week started, Monday's activities already set up.

 

"You haven't shown me your painting yet," Harry told his daughter as he helped her to dress after yoga.

 

Lola ran to the trunk at the end of her bed and opened it, pulling out a sheet with a flourish. She walked over to him on the bed and crawled up beside him. Harry rested a gentle hand on her shoulder as she carefully flattened the paper out over both of their knees.

 

The scene was messy and it featured a lot of people, if the stick figures were anything to by.

 

"That's Nanny Lottie," Lola pointed to a yellow-haired stick figure.

 

"Hmm...who's that?" Harry pointed to four tiny stick figures.

 

"That's Daddy's new friends who I haven't met yet," Lola told him.

 

"Alright and I guess this is me?" He pointed to the biggest figure, the one with brown hair painted rudimentally down the sides of the head.

 

"That's you," she nodded, dragging her finger to the brown-haired person depicted beside him- the one with a pink splodge in their hair. "And that's Louis."

 

"Of course," Harry mused quietly. _Louis_. Who his daughter was already obsessed with.

 

"He's pretty," she sighed, in her usual overwhelmed fashion.

 

"Why do you keep saying that, sweetheart. You know lots of pretty people."

 

Lola shook her head.

 

"What about Mariam back on the ranch?" He cited his cook- the wife of one of his ranch hands.

 

"She's a girl." Lola said. And it made sense somehow.

 

"That she is."

 

"Louis' pretty on the inside," she emphasised.

 

"Right," Harry nodded with a hum. "I see."

 

"Don't you think so Daddy?"

 

"I do," he smiled wanly.

 

"Do you think he's prettier than your other new friends?"

 

Harry stared at her, wondering if this small person was really his five year old daughter or perhaps a thirty-year-old hiding in a child's body?

 

"Well, people can be pretty in different ways, Lola," he hedged carefully.

 

"I bet they wouldn't wear a tiara," Lola huffed, getting down from the bed to replace her painting in the trunk.

 

"I bet they wouldn't," Harry smirked, trying to imagine one of his three remaining suitors wearing the tiara Lola had loaned to Louis.

 

Lola gasped.

 

"Louis has mine!"

 

Harry frowned.

 

"You let him borrow it, sweetheart."

 

"Until today!" She argued. "I was meant to get it back..."

 

"Honey, Louis goes home on the weekends, he might not be-"

 

"Louis!" Lola screamed at the top of her voice, running towards her bedroom door.

 

"Lola-Grace," Harry called, pausing her in her tracks. "You do not run off."

 

Lola let go of the door handle and tapped her foot impatiently.

 

"Hurry up, Daddy."

 

Harry got up slowly.

 

"We'll ask if Louis is around today, alright? If he's not you'll have to wait to get your tiara back."

 

Lola rolled her eyes.

 

"If I must."

 

"You must," Harry told her, taking her hand to walk her down the grand stairs.

 

//

 

The house felt so different when it was empty; devoid of the pomp and dressing that occurred for filming.

 

It still didn't feel like home but Harry planned to take one of the horses out this morning with a picnic basket; keen to enjoy a ride with Lola like they used to up on the ranch.

 

"Louis?" Lola called timidly into the quiet halls.

 

Harry found the on-site chef in the kitchen, requesting a food basket to be made up.

 

"Do you know if Louis is around today?"

 

"He's out in the yard getting the place ready for the filming on Monday," Annette told him.

 

"What are we doing on Monday?" Harry wondered.

 

"Something with easels," she mused.

 

Harry lifted Lola up into his arms and carried her into the yard, his eyes scanning over the green stretch. There was a team of people rushing about, one cutting grass, one planting blooming flowers, another draping fairy lights around the cottage-garden walls; another hanging candle- holders.

 

"What in the green hill," Harry murmured, running his fingers into his hair.

 

"You wanted painting," Louis' voice interrupted his thoughts. Louis spread his arms. "I give you painting."

 

"You give me a very romantic version of painting," Harry mused, sliding him a look.

 

They hadn't spoken since the aborted kiss; if that's what it was.

 

Louis was hesitant to meet his gaze but once he did, his eyes definitely clung for longer than necessary.

 

"Well, I'm nothing if not romantic," Louis quipped.

 

Harry let out a huff of breath.

 

"Uh...Lola wanted to ask you something."

 

"Lola?" Louis pretended not to see her. "Where is she then?"

 

"I'm here, silly!" Lola giggled, flapping her arms.

 

"Wait...Harry, did you hear something just then?"

 

"Lou-is!"

 

"I can hear her but I can't see her..."

 

"I'm here!" Lola yelled, her little hand reaching for Louis as she leaned forward, causing Harry to take a wide step closer to him, too, to stop her falling from his grasp.

 

Lola grasped the shoulder of his t-shirt.

 

"Louis, I'm heee-re," she called again.

 

"Oh!" Louis twisted with feigned surprise. "Where did you come from?!"

 

Lola grinned and reached to hug him, forcing Harry into Louis' space. He waited patiently for his daughter to finish hugging Louis around the neck.

 

"So, what did you want to ask me then?" Louis set his blue eyes on the curly-haired girl.

 

"Please may I have my tiara back?" She asked politely.

 

Louis' brows lifted.

 

"Oh, I forgot to wear it. I've got it in my trailer, though, so it's all good. Just give me one sec...."

 

Louis bounced off to peel off demands at the group of workers surrounding the lawn and came back with a  tilt of his head to signal they should follow him.

 

//

 

Louis' trailer was situated in the drive along with ten other trailers housing the production staff.

 

"Why don't they just let you stay in one of the twenty-two rooms in the mansion?" Harry mused.

 

Louis shrugged.

 

"Rules."

 

"Insurance," Harry replied sourly.

 

Louis smirked, opening the door to disappear inside.

 

"Hang on, it's in here somewhere..."

 

"Daddy, can we see?" Lola asked in Harry's ear.

 

"Lou? Can Lola come in?" Harry called, climbing the small steps carefully in his suede boots.

 

He poked his head around the doorway to check for any non-child-friendly sights and was relieved to find none. It was just a bit messy inside, nothing tawdry.

 

"It's nice," Harry's voice carried into the seating area where Louis was digging through piles of clothes.

 

"Oh, yeah...come in," he invited. Harry wasn't sure if he was being sarcastic.

 

"Where do you sleep?" Lola asked, looking around.

 

"The sofa pulls out-" Louis pointed distractedly at the seat. "I put it away when I get up."

 

Lola gasped.

 

"Daddy he has a sofa-bed!"

 

"He does," Harry hummed. "How fun."

 

"Can I have a sleepover? Daddy, please? Louis...can I sleep on the sofa-bed?"

 

"Honey," Harry brought his free hand up to squeeze her waist very gently.

 

"Aha!" Louis snapped up with the tiara in his hand. "I knew it was here somewhere."

 

"You need help," Lola commented as her eyes surveyed the floor. "Daddy's good at tidying, aren't you Daddy?"

 

Harry couldn't stop his out-loud laughter at her statement, his eyes crinkling in the corners as his smile widened.

 

"Lola, Louis is an adult so he's allowed to leave his room messy if he wants to, okay?"

 

Lola reached for her tiara and slipped it on.

 

"We're going for a picnic," Lola told Louis. "On the horses. You should come."

 

Louis' eyes flicked to Harry's. Harry held them.

 

"You should come," he repeated, more softly.

 

His heart beat wildly in his chest at his words, an invitation he should be making to one of his suitors if only he would allow them to meet Lola the way Louis had. He hadn't bargained on Louis being quite so loved by his daughter, though.

 

"I-I have to, you know," Louis gestured weakly to the outside of the trailer. "The lawn..."

 

Harry felt something ping in his chest, his eyes dropping to the floor. Of course. _Rejection_. Another familiar emotion.

 

"Maybe next time," he covered the moment quickly with a bright, forced smile. "Come on, Lo, let's go pick out some horses."

 

"I want Majesty," Lola recounted knowledgably as Harry descended the steps to Louis' cabin. "Bye Louis!" She added quickly with a wave before they walked back up the drive.


	6. Chapter 6

Louis was sunbathing by the pool when Harry dove into the cool water on Sunday morning.

 

He always dove straight in without looking but something had caught the corner of his eye and he'd tripped more than glided into the depths, surfacing to shuck wet hair from his face; legs working the water to keep him in place.

 

"What're you doing?" He asked the other man.

 

Louis wasn't listening. A quick assessment told Harry he had ear-phones in, was listening to music with his eyes closed. He had on the tiniest turquoise boxer-briefs, the colour being what drew Harry's eye.

 

He swum his lengths before sneaking up; shaking himself dog-like over the tanned-man's sun-warmed skin.

 

"What the f-" Louis wriggled, yanking his ear-buds out and opening his eyes to glare at the offender.

 

"Ah!" Harry cut his swear-word short. "Lola is just inside, you know how she feels about the 'F' word..."

 

"How does she feel about great Danes shaking their bloody wet fur off on you?" Louis smarted.

 

Harry grinned.

 

"Great Dane huh?"

 

Louis gestured to him inefficiently.

 

"Bloody long legs and all that hair..."

 

Harry stood up a bit straighter, his turquoise shorts matching Louis' underwear.

 

"Shouldn't you put some clothes on if you're going to trespass?"

 

Louis wiped himself free of water-droplets with his bare hands.

 

"Didn't actually know I was still trespassing," he mumbled. "Must have fallen asleep after sneaking a dip last night..."

 

"Skinny dipping with the extras?" Harry teased with a  brow-arch.

 

Louis looked up at him with an unamused expression.

 

"No, I don't share myself around with any old person," Louis remarked.

 

Harry's teasing smile slipped from his lips.

 

"Breakfast?" He held out a hand to help Louis up.

 

His chest felt tight and his heart beat harder than ever at the possibility of being rejected again. Something weird happened when Louis' hand slipped into his to pull himself up.

 

"Won't say no to a bacon sarnie," he murmured, wafting by Harry to walk inside.

 

"Wait, what's a 'sarnie'?" Harry called, rushing after him.

 

//

 

Louis had borrowed another one of Harry's t-shirts, teaming it with some jogging pants which he rolled up the ankles of. His hair was fluffy from drying in the warm air without the aid of product.

 

He was grumpy in the ruffled way Harry liked.

 

"And then your Dad splashed me with ice-cold water," Louis was recounting his morning to Lola who was listening avidly.

 

Harry scoffed.

 

"It was pool water, it's at least twenty degrees."

 

"Below freezing," Louis conspired to the little girl as she ate her pancakes.

 

Louis was enjoying a sandwich full of bacon. In fact, he was on his second round.

 

"Louis snuck in overnight," Harry shared with his daughter with a smirk at Louis' gasped outrage.

 

"I didn't break any locks!"

 

"Did you sleep well on the lounger, Lou?"

 

"Better than the sofa-bed," he mused. "That thing is slowly wrecking my back..."

 

"You should sleep in Daddy's bed."

 

The way Lola intercepted their repertoire to blurt out such blindly innocent things was beginning to kill Harry slowly inside.

 

"My bed is very comfortable," Harry jogged the silence.

 

Louis' eyes grazed over him and Harry self-consciously adjusted his bun; pulling his dressing gown around himself a bit more tightly.

 

"Think I'll refrain from commenting," Louis breezed. "No doubt it'll get me in trouble with Greg."

 

"The Boss," Harry remembered. "I've never met the man..."

 

Louis laughed, loud and sharp, slapping a hand over his mouth and kicking his feet down from where he'd perched them against the table.

 

"You think that man actually comes on set? You think he deigns to walk among us? Not likely," he scoffed.

 

"You run the show," Harry observed.

 

"Louis is very bossy," Lola added, reaching for her sketch pad and some crayons which were scattered on the table-top.

 

"I am," Louis grinned. "Although less of the bossy," he added. "I like to call it authoritative."

 

"Bit much for a five-year-old," Harry suggested.

 

"Yeah," Louis nodded around a mouthful of food. "I suppose."

 

Harry gave him a lop-sided smile.

 

"So, what's the plan for you two lovely curly-haired angels today, then?" Louis directed the question to Lola, but Harry felt his cheeks heat.

 

Lola gasped and placed her little hands against her cheeks.

 

"You called Daddy an angel..."

 

Louis smiled.

 

"What are you up to then?"

 

Lola stared at him, mouth open.

 

"Lo," Harry warned from the other side of the table, standing up to clear away their dishes.

 

"But he-"

 

"Lola and I hadn't planned our day yet," Harry answered the question as he walked away with their dirty crockery, loading it into the dish-washer since Annette didn't work on Sundays.

 

"I wanted to go to the zoo," Lola stated.

 

"But then I realised it'd be a logistical nightmare to take her off-site and not get spotted..."

 

Louis' lips twisted thoughtfully, his eyes flicking from Lola to the tall man at the sink.

 

"I know where we can see some animals."

 

"You do?" Both Lola and Harry answered at the same time in differing tones.

 

Louis grinned.

 

"There's a pet-shop on the main street. I know they have rabbits..."

 

"Bunnies!" Lola jumped up, excited.

 

Harry rolled his eyes but moved toward the kitchen archway.

 

"Right, I better get dressed."

 

Louis watched him.

 

"I'll stay with Lola till you get back," he promised.

 

Harry ducked back from vanishing through the arch.

 

"You're coming with us, right?"

 

Louis cleared his throat, looking down at his clothes.

 

"You can grab some shoes on the way out," Harry told him.

 

And Harry was gone before Louis could really argue but that was possibly the first time Harry had told him he was doing something rather than asking him or hedging around an invite.

 

"Bunnies," Louis murmured dryly to himself.

 

//

 

The fact that Louis could ride a horse should not be surprising.  After all he could sing beautifully and throw a decent pot on the wheel. His yoga could use some practice but that was far from Harry's mind as he watched Louis nudge his steed into a gallop, racing him across the planes.

 

They hadn't planned to go riding.

 

The pet shop had been a delightful expedition until Harry started sneezing; the fur setting off his asthma and forcing them to abort.

 

Lola had helpfully suggested they show Louis the grove where they'd pic- nicked the day prior.

 

Harry wondered how often Louis took the horses out.

 

He followed more slowly with Lola in his saddle, eyes roaming over the lines of the horizon automatically mapping the place out and planning the best and worst places to graze cattle.

 

Louis had done a loop of the field by the time Harry had made it a quarter of the way across.

 

"I see the Stetson got an outing today, " Louis remarked of Harry's hat.

 

"Not a cowboy without a Stetson..."

 

Louis pursed his lips, eyes flicking to Lola.

 

"One day I'll challenge your Dad to a race and we'll see who's the true country boy then..."

 

Harry couldn't help his smile at Louis' words, at knowing the media man had had a similar upbringing to his own.

 

"You never felt like setting up your own ranch?" Harry wondered.

 

"Nah. I mean we don't have ranches back home. I worked at a stables. I guess I got so good at organising the place I forgot about the physical stuff."

 

"I'll let you know if I ever need a stable hand," Harry offered.

 

He was flirting and he wished it was this easy with Niall or Liam or Alex.

 

"Please do," Louis teased. "You never know when the urge to shift shit might wash over me."

 

Harry quickly glanced at Lola but she was asleep, lolling against him.

 

Louis smiled apologetically.

 

"She's out already. Should we take her back?"

 

Harry's gaze narrowed on him. _We_. One tiny word and yet-

 

"She'll be okay," Harry assured. "Give it an hour and she'll be awake again."

 

"I'll lock up my bad words," Louis promised.

 

"Yeah?" Harry's eyes lit up. "With cuffs?"

 

Louis grinned.

 

"Kinky aren't you? Kinky cowboy..."

 

Harry shrugged, his smile answering Louis'. 

 

"Who isn't?"

 

"We're not going there," Louis flicked his reins to get his horse to trot, Harry following suit. 

 

"What's a kink between friends?" Harry joked behind him. "Is it a weird one?"

 

Louis rolled his eyes and waved a hand.

 

"You can try all you like. I'm never telling you."

 

Harry cantered up beside him.

 

"Never?"

 

The challenge was clear. It was more than flirting. It was a written invitation.

 

"Daddy?"

 

Lola's sleepy voice quelled that fire as soon as it even started. Harry swallowed hard, taking a moment to get his body in check.

 

"Hey sweetheart. Welcome to the trail. "

 

Lola yawned and sat upright, grasping Harry's jeans in little hands. There wasn't much material to them to create a surplus but her little fingers found enough purchase to stay balanced. Louis had an image of her as a baby swaddled against Harry's chest and he lamented not being there to see it. 

 

"My sister asked about you," Louis changed the subject with a throat clearance.

 

"Which one?" Harry mused.

 

"Lottie sees you every day so...that'd be weird. Unless she had a major crush but I think she knows you're gay."

 

"I'd think so," Harry derided of the show.

 

"Fizzie asked after you." He clarified. 

 

"Can I change my name to Fizzy?" Lola asked. "Or Lolly?"

 

"Your name is Lola Grace."

 

"Lolly Grape." Lola repeated amusedly.

 

"Whatever you like sweetheart. You can call yourself what you want when you turn eighteen..."

 

Lola stuck her tongue out as she stretched; still waking up.

 

"Tell Fizzie I said hello," Harry finally offered. "Or Howdy," he smirked. 

 

"You're such a fake," Louis snorted. "You don't talk like that. "

 

"Did she mention calling again?" Harry enquired, entirely too interested in any nuggets that Louis' sister felt like sharing. 

 

"No," Louis denied quickly. "She will never be calling again."

 

"Hm," Harry smirked over at the other man. "Shame. We had such a wonderful conversation...."

 

Louis huffed out a sigh.

 

"Pretty sure I wouldn't agree."

 

Harry only smiled at him, fingers combing through Lola's hair.

 

"You could change your name too, Louis." Lola inserted.

 

"To what?"

 

"Louis Styles. Then you'd be one of us. It sounds like Lola Styles. Lolly Styles..."

 

Harry snorted softly with a chuckle.

 

"Lola jeez...people don't change their surnames unless they get married."

 

"Harry Tomlinson," Lola said surprising Louis with her memory of his surname.

 

Harry planted his palm on his face.

 

"For the love of god!"

 

Louis smirked beside him, heading for the trees.

 

//

 

"Does Louis Styles sound better than Harry Tomlinson?"

 

"Lola for the last time... I've asked you to stop with the names thing," Harry sighed as he unpacked their picnic. "Come and have some juice..."

 

Lola complied, taking her carton and sitting herself in Louis' lap with it. She squeezed too hard and the sticky juice surged over the edge and dribbled onto Louis borrowed joggers. 

 

"Glad these are yours not mine," he joked as Harry passed a napkin.

 

Harry stretched a smile across his lips knowing the presence of a five year old pretty much killed any passion that might be occurring between two consenting adults should a minor not be there. Harry reminded himself that Louis was not the man he was meant to secretly be pining to get passionate with.

 

"What do you get up to when you're not working?" Harry asked instead.

 

"I work a lot," Louis admitted. "But I see friends and family when I can."

 

"Are they nice to you?" Harry wondered then added, "The other Bachelors, I mean. The contestants. "

 

Louis gave a wry smile.

 

"Mostly I'm invisible.  The Bachelors usually see me as a bit of a slave. I'm not really meant to, uh..."

 

Harry watched him flick his fringe from his eyes.

 

"Talk to us?" He guessed.

 

"Well. Spend weekends out here." Louis shared. "I usually go home but Mum took the girls to Florida."

 

"We like having you around," Harry expressed. "Don't we Lo?"

 

Lola nodded mid-sandwich.

 

"Fizzie not coming by?" Harry wondered.

 

"Don't encourage her," Louis scoffed. "She thinks she's my second Mum, always trying to find me a boyfriend."

 

Harry studied him for a moment.  He watched the way Lola happily sat in Louis' lap while she ate. He watched Louis pay attention to his daughter automatically without even trying.

 

"Maybe she cares about you a lot," Harry suggested then, remembering what Fizzie said about Louis getting picked last.

 

Louis rolled his eyes.

 

"She does. But-"

 

"But?"

 

"Just because I'm single doesn't mean I have to rush into anything," he explained. "I actually like being kind of invisible here and fading into the back ground. "

 

Harry snorted, pulling on grass.

 

"You don't fade into the background, Lou, I can promise you that..."

 

"No, I'm too loud," Louis mused.

 

"No, you're too pretty," Lola piped up.

 

Harry's gaze stayed on Louis.

 

"She's right. You are."

 

Louis found himself locked into a beautiful green gaze, the warm air smelling faintly of fresh grass and hot sunshine. 

 

"Talking of finding boyfriends," Louis cleared his throat to force the words out. "Who's the front runner at the moment?"

 

 _You_.

 

Harry blinked in surprise at the instant answer his brain came up with, shifting awkwardly on the blanket.

 

"I'm really not sure."

 

"Still two weeks left," Louis murmured . "It gets easier now because you'll get more time with the guys."

 

Harry had a horrible feeling that nothing would get easier from here on out. 

 

"Yeah," his voice was coarse as he spoke, tilting his hat back on his head and checking Lola was still covered by shade. 

 

"Painting will be fun," Louis smiled wanly as Harry's gaze drifted into the distance.

 

The comment brought a chuckle from his lips.

 

"That it will."

 

//

 

Walking the horses back up the drive towards the stables to let the stable hand take the reins and lead them away, Harry turned toward Louis and let his eyes travel over the smaller man; a sleeping Lola curved over his shoulder.

 

"Here let me take her, she must be heavy..."

 

Louis carefully slid Lola into Harry's cradled arms, blue eyes wide as he looked up at him, lips parted as if he was about to ask a question.

 

"Thank you for spending time with us today."

 

"Yeah well...don't tell Greg," Louis huffed a breath into his fringe.

 

Harry balanced Lola onto one arm, reaching out to comb gentle fingers through Louis fringe.

 

Louis froze, eyes low but breathing spiked. 

 

"Take care, Louis."

 

Louis looked up at him then, a confused tilt to his mouth, a mouth Harry found he very much wanted to kiss. Despite Lola being in his arms, despite the horses and stable hands around them. Harry had never wanted anything more.

 

"Tell Fizzie I said Hi," he added as he stepped back, eyes glued to Louis' mouth.

 

Louis could only nod in reply.

 

//

 

"What exactly did you say to Harry, Fizz?"

 

"Who?" Fizzie feigned innocence as she crunched on something on the other end of the phone.

 

"Harry," Louis repeated. "I need to know _exactly_ what you said..."

 

"I said he had a cute bum," Fizzie admitted.

 

"Yeah, I heard that little gem," Louis snorted. "And I wish I'd never confided in you..."

 

"It doesn't hurt to be honest, Louis," Fizzie admonished.

 

"It does when the guy you think has a cute bum is dating six other guys for a television show," Louis snarked back.

 

He sighed.

 

"Harry says hello."

 

Fizzie squealed and giggled.

 

"I knew it! He's a darling. Can I come visit?"

 

"No you bloody well cannot," Louis put paid to that idea instantly.

 

"Lottie visits," she argued.

 

"Lottie works here," Louis reminded her.

 

"He was nice, though," Fizzie lamented sadly. "And you were right about the hair and the eyes."

 

Louis scoffed. "And the bum."

 

"Lou-"

 

"Don't say it," Louis cut in, voice sharp with warning. "Because it's not going to happen."

 

The line was quiet for a minute.

 

"You like him," Fizzie eventually said, hesitant.

 

"He's hard not to like," Louis batted the accusation away, not willing to clarify his feelings on the subject of Harry.

 

"The way he was with those kids..."

 

"He has a daughter," Louis said, although Fizzie knew because Harry had told her all about Lola Grace.

 

"He's old-school charming," Fizzie added with a warmth in her voice. "And he's single."

 

"And he's dating other guys," Louis repeated with an eye-roll.

 

"Not properly," Fizzie challenged. "He might change his mind if he knows a certain small brunette is hankering after him..."

 

"I'm not-" Louis huffed, annoyed. "I'm not small for a start. And secondly I'm not _hankering_ after him. I just-"

 

"You just what Lou?" Fizzie demanded amusedly.

 

"I have to go now, Fizz. Nice talking to you..."

 

"Wait, say _Hi_ to Harry for me!" Fizzie called right before Louis disconnected their call.

 

//

 

 

Alex won the painting competition, earning a Jacuzzi and massage spa-like afternoon with Harry by the pool.

 

They drank champagne and Harry could appreciate the other man, a tall, dark-haired athletic guy with a quick smile and bright eyes.

 

_But he wasn't Louis._

 

Every time his mind drifted toward the thought he dragged it back to where it should be, among the bubbles of the water and the drink. His head felt light and his skin tingled from the water but he was in show-Harry mode, talking slow and soft with the twang everybody loved.

 

Alex had kissed his cheek, licking into his dimple. Harry had turned his head to flick his eyes over the other man's face, Alex placing a chaste kiss against his lips. They'd exited the Jacuzzi after that to enjoy their personal massages and Harry fell asleep from the relaxing rub-down.

 

"Hey, cowboy," a voice called him out of his slumber.

 

"Hm?" He lifted his head from the hole in the massage table. He squinted at Alex, haloed by the sun. Only Louis called him cowboy. His mind had for one second thought-

 

"Want me to carry on?" Alex asked.

 

Harry realised he meant the massage. Their masseurs had left but the cameras were still rolling. Harry frowned, swallowing uncertainly.

 

"Uh, I think-"

 

"Come on," Alex pushed him down gently. "Just a few minutes.

 

Harry looked around for another figure, one he knew too well. One who would rescue him if he needed rescuing.

 

"Is Louis around?"

 

"He went off with his boss," Alex told him with a dismissive wave of his hand.

 

Harry reluctantly put his head back in the hole.

 

Alex's hands were firm and efficient at first, but Harry knew things would take a turn. Soon his was stroking over his feet and calves, hands gliding up the backs of his thighs and thumbs pressing into his glutes. When those warm, oily fingers dipped between his thighs to brush against his taint, he rolled and sat up quickly, a frown on his face.

 

"I'm not up for that," he told the man before pulling his towel around himself and stalking off.

 

//

 

Louis found him by the pool, sat on the edge of a lounger with his hair in a bun and a t-shirt and shorts on.

 

He looked the youngest Louis had seen him. He also looked kind of beautiful with his hair up and his features bared. His eyes really were incredible.

 

Louis padded over, sitting beside him.

 

"Mike said you asked for me."

 

"Yeah," Harry nodded, mind in the bottom of the pool. "Alex said you were with Greg."

 

Louis rolled back so that he dangled his whole body sideways over the lounger.

 

"The stable guys told him they saw us riding back together," Louis recounted. "I got a little talking to."

 

Harry turned, brows drawing together.

 

"You got told to stay away?"

 

Louis shrugged, flicking his eyes away.

 

"Just got reminded of me place."

 

Harry shifted, laying down beside him, letting his arms fall by his sides so that their hands brushed together.

 

"This place is starting to suck."

 

"Oh?" Louis turned his face towards Harry. "How's that? Bad massage?"

 

Harry looked him in the eye.

 

"Have you ever felt like you're different?"

 

Louis snorted.

 

"Uh, yeah, Harold, actually I have," he mused of his sexuality.

 

"No, I mean...everyone is out there to get to something fast. And I just want to go slow...I don't know these guys, not really. How is it that they want to kiss me and touch me without knowing anything about me..?"

 

Louis pursed his lips, eyes trailing over Harry's face. His fingers knocked against Harry's.

 

"Might be something to do with being an eligible Bachelor," he suggested.

 

"So what because I have money they want to fuck me?" Harry demanded.

 

"Not all of them," Louis said. "Maybe some of them, yes."

 

"He-It was a massage you know? Yeah, it's supposed to be sexy and I get that but there's a camera right there and-"

 

Louis' face changed to something concerned.

 

"What did he do, Haz?"

 

Harry shook his head with a breathy laugh.

 

"Nothing. I mean, literally nothing. But-"

 

Harry sighed out. He felt Louis' fingers half-heartedly crawl over his own to cling there. He opened his out to make more room for a union.

 

"Is it so wrong for me to want to do this the old-fashioned way? Not some quick fumble on a massage table but-"

 

"It's not wrong."

 

Harry let his eyes flutter shut, the lull of Louis' voice washing over him. He tangled his fingers among the small ones keeping him anchored.

 

"I feel like a school girl."

 

He felt Louis press a smile against his forehead, soft lips brushing his skin as he relaxed into sleep.

 

"Snooze away your champers, Harold," Louis murmured.

 

Harry curled into Louis' side to do just that.

 


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have had some really difficult things to deal with and getting updates with your comments has been a serious lifeline. Thank you
> 
> Ang

Harry woke to find himself laid fully on the lounger, a light blanket pulled over his shoulders. 

 

His fingers immediately lifted to press against his lips as though something else had pressed there recently- something _soft_. His lips tingled as his tongue lathed roughly over them, the bitter after-taste of bubbly wine on his tongue.

 

"Shit," he muttered, screwing his eyes shut and pressing a palm into his face to rub over his skin. "Shit."

 

"Daddy you sound like Louis," Lola's piqued voice preceded her weight jumping on top of him.

 

He dregged up a smile.

 

"Sorry honey." He apologised with a hug and a kiss to her cheek. "How was your day?" 

 

"Lottie did hand prints," Lola held up her clean hands which showcased colourful paint down the edges of her nails. 

 

"Oh really? Did you make shapes?"

 

"Trees and animals," she explained then pouted. "Louis was busy today. "

 

"Yeah," Harry's voice ground against his throat. "He was."

 

"How was your play date with your new friend?"

 

"It was uh..." Harry searched for a word that adequately covered the Jacuzzi date and his falling asleep holding hands with a man who definitely _wasn't_ a suitor. "It was fun," he mused. 

 

"Did you swim in the bubble pool?" Lola wondered.

 

"I did. Do you want to do that?"

 

Lola thought about it for a minute.

 

"No. Lottie made my hair pretty so I don't want to get wet. "

 

" I noticed," Harry fingered the pink tinted strands of his daughters curly hair. "Very princess like."

 

Lola nodded widely.

 

"Lottie's waiting for you to say g'bye," Lola added as Harry yawned.

 

He stretched and got up, heading back into the house.

 

//

 

 

 

Tuesday brought a casino night at a place in town. It didn't bring Louis though.

 

Harry had woken up to Nigel stuttering and jittery at breakfast and he'd asked him carefully where Louis was that morning.

 

"S-setting up for the games."

 

"Games?" Harry queried, piqued.

 

"They're doing a triathlon by the beach." Nigel shared. "Cycle along the boardwalk, jump in the sea and swim out to the buoy and back and then run a hundred metres in the sand."

 

"Wow," Harry cleared his throat. "Didn't see that on the itinerary for filming this week."

 

"They just added it. Director thinks the footage so far is too boring."

 

Harry's quick stare at Nigel had him backtracking.

 

"N-not you sir. You're perfect. But there's no chemistry they think. They think a competition might incite some jealousy.  You get to have a seafood lunch with the winner."

 

"Wonderful," Harry commented ruefully.

 

The triathlon had been a close-run competition which Liam had finally conquered, earning a sea-food lunch with Harry before the casino night which had also been pulled out of thin air.

 

"I'm not gonna lie to you Harry.  I think you're an attractive guy."

 

Harry flicked his eyes over Niall, dressed in a tuxedo the same as himself. 

 

"But I get the feeling ya into someone else." Niall continued

 

Harry choked on his spritzer. A peach champagne and sparkling water mixer so he wouldn't fall asleep again.

 

He eyed Niall carefully. 

 

"It takes me time to get to know someone," Harry shared. "For Lola's sake I can't just go out and date whoever comes along..."

 

"But you brought her with you to this show," Niall gestured around them. "Not the kind of place a guy comes to get to _know_ a guy..."

 

Harry wasn't sure if that was a dig or not.

 

"No, you're right," he conceded. "It was my Mom who actually applied for the show. I just didn't say no when they called."

 

"Because?" Niall asked , interested.

 

"Because I thought _maybe_. The tiny part of me inside that lives for romantic comedies thought maybe it can happen.. maybe you really can fall in love in six weeks."

 

"You can fall in love in six days," Niall scoffed. "But I don't think you have. Not with me at least."

 

"There's no-one back home," Harry assured.

 

"Then that leaves two suspects," Niall smirked. "Both of them tall, athletic and brown haired..."

 

"Niall, that's not-"

 

"It's alright," Niall leaned forward to cup his knee. "I'm a grown man I can take a rejection."

 

Harry looked around, urgently praying the cameras weren't watching. They were; but from far away; not close enough to pick up their voices.

 

"I don't want you to go tomorrow," Harry told the blonde with a swallow.

 

Niall met his gaze, assessing.

 

"Alright."

 

"But you're right. You and I...our stars aren't crossed."

 

Niall belted out a laugh, reaching out to cup Harry's neck and place a wet kiss on his cheek.

 

"God, you're beautiful."

 

Harry knew it was partly for the cameras. He leaned back, Niall's hand lingering on his knee.

 

"Should we throw in a kiss?" Harry smirked at the Irish lad.

 

"Rightio, lads," a sharp clap of hands accompanied a very British accent.

 

Harry turned to run his eyes over Louis. He was a sight for sore eyes, looking tired but gorgeous dressed all in black.

 

"Cameramen are just relocating to the red room if you want to start filming your individual pieces..."

 

Harry got up, eyes clinging to the other man even though Louis steadfastedly refused to look at him as he went to pass.

 

"Is everything okay, Lou?"

 

Louis flinched a bit at the nickname.

 

"Yeah," he nodded with a tight smile that was more a gritting of his teeth. "Everything is perfect. "

 

"We missed you at breakfast."

 

"Yeah well...Greg called me in and who refuses their boss?" He asked lightly.  "Had a lovely conversation we did. Learned a lot."

 

Harry frowned; eyes lingering on the smaller man for a beat too long.

 

Louis had gotten into trouble again. It was obvious now. But who was watching him? Who was reporting him to the boss?

 

Harry cleared his throat.

 

"I'm sorry that you had to work."

 

Louis flashed his eyes at him, the briefest glance.

 

"Maybe next time, eh?" Louis offered, but it sounded like an excuse. It sounded like a lie.

 

"Right I'm going to-" Harry gestured toward the red room and loped off.

 

//

 

Alex didn't get a rose.

 

That left Harry with Liam and Niall for week five. They'd start the week with more activities and head out to their family homes respectively so that Harry could get to know about their hometown and upbringing.

 

Since he had two states to visit the filming would roll over into the following week when Harry would be required to make his decision.

 

Niall was already on board with the friendship angle, happy to play it up for the cameras to ease the pressure.  Harry wasn't sure Liam knew how he felt and he wasn't sure how Liam felt about him; so his priority would be finding out.

 

He was geared out in a denim shirt and flared jeans with gold cowboy boots and a matching Stetson, more than ready to barn dance with the two remaining competitors.

 

He had been asking Nigel to help him out since Louis was keeping a professional distance since their semi-sleep over. It didn't stop his eyes immediately trying to locate the man or the pleased rush over his skin when he recognised him, soft haired and tired-looking in a checked red shirt and pale denim loose jeans.

 

"No skinnies?" Harry asked him as he tilted his hat in greeting.

 

Louis' fingers melted through his silky fringe.

 

"Was told to dress the part in case they need extras."

 

"You need a hat," Harry observed.

 

Louis pulled a snapback out of his pocket and unfolded it.

 

"True redneck through and through..."

 

"Maybe you can teach me how to slide tailgate one day," Harry mused. 

 

"How's -" Louis swallowed, shaking his head slightly. "Hope my sister is looking after little Miss properly," Louis rephrased his original question. 

 

Harry watched the way his throat bobbed, the way the fingers of one hand slid into the palm of the other in a comforting gesture. He read the emptiness in those blue eyes.

 

 _He missed her_. Louis missed Lola.

 

"She misses you, you know," Harry said, bypassing the bullshit.

 

Louis' eyes dashed to his and Harry stared at him, jaw clenching. 

 

That had been exactly what he was worried about, his daughter becoming attached to people who stopped coming to see her when it didn't suit their schedule anymore. Lola deserved people in her life who made the time to remember her needs as well as their own.

 

"Maybe I could say hi after filming," Louis murmured, looking around to see if anyone was watching their conversation.

 

Harry felt something tighten in his chest.

 

"Maybe."

 

Barn dancing was the most fun Harry had in years. He knew all the moves; much to everyone's surprise and Niall was a madman on the dance floor which made for great TV.

 

Liam blinked his doe eyes at Harry as Harry taught him the trickier steps and it turned into a master class that the whole crew joined in on.

 

By the end of the day everyone was flushed and happy, buzzing about their day and rapidly searching for a cookout to fulfil their hunger.

 

For the first time, Harry thought about bringing Lola to the table to meet everyone but he knew the situation was just too stressful to involve a five year old.

 

They stuffed themselves full of ribs and sweet potatoes and ate too much ice cream sundae before they headed back, piled into the people carriers hired by the crew.

 

Harry would usually ride alone in the limo; often filming small snippets of narrative but tonight he gave the car away to the contestants and crew, choosing to ride with Louis and Nigel. 

 

It was easier then, to invite Louis back to mansion on the premise of giving him his dry cleaning order.

 

Nigel scuttled to his trailer none the wiser.

 

//

 

Lottie gave her brother a knowing look as Harry led him in.

 

"I'm heading out," she told Harry, her eyes giving a different story to Louis. "Lola was about to nod off so you might want to run up and read her a quick story. "

 

Harry nodded, thanking her for her help. Once she'd gone he turned to put the kettle on.

 

"Would you like to um...do you want to go and read Lola a story?" He asked, keeping his back carefully to the brunette. There was a tension in his shoulders that Louis wanted to rub away.

 

"I don't feel like I've earned the honour," Louis admitted.

 

Harry twisted a bit.

 

"She'd love it if you did."

 

"It might wake her up again."

 

Harry nodded, turning more fully to head to Lola's room himself.

 

"No, it's okay," Louis murmured, frowning thoughtfully.  "I can do it. If it's still okay.. "

 

Harry smiled tiredly.

 

"It's ok. Just talk quietly and she'll respond," Harry suggested.

 

Louis set off up the stairs with a mission.

 

//

 

"Louis?" 

 

Lola's voice was low and deep with tiredness as she sleepily rubbed one eye, squinting into the low lit room.

 

"Shh, pretty," Louis crept in and perched on the end of the bed. "Be a good girl, hm?"

 

Lola nodded, pulling her covers up to her chin.

 

"So a little blonde told me that you wanted a goodnight story..."

 

"Where's Daddy?"

 

"He's making tea," Louis confided. "He danced a lot of lines today..."

 

Lola giggled, letting out a yawn.

 

"You can tell me the story now Louis."

 

"Right okay," Louis settled a bit in place.

 

"One day there was this fawn.  He lived in a cold and snowy land called Narnia..."

 

"I know that story," Lola inserted. "Auntie Gemma started calling Daddy _Aslan_ when he grew his hair," she added amusedly.

 

"Did she now?" Louis mused. "How interesting. Do you have any other stories like that?" He wondered.

 

"About Daddy?" Lola checked with a concentrated frown. "Daddy's scared of letting people get to know me in case I get upset when they leave."

 

Louis looked at the tiny girl in the bed and wondered;

 

"Who told you that?" He asked.

 

"Nobody did," she pouted. "I'm not stupid just because I'm five."

 

Louis smirked, closing his hands together as if they were the covers of an imaginary book.

 

"I'd be scared too if I was your Dad," Louis commented.

 

"But what if they don't leave?" Lola posed.

 

"Hm?" Louis hummed.

 

"If," she rolled onto her side to blink her sleepy eyes at him, her curly lashes exactly like those of her father, her little bowed lips just like Harry's too. "If people don't leave then I might not get upset," Lola reasoned.

 

"Have people left before?" Louis asked gently, pulling up the covers to tuck them under the mattress carefully.

 

At Lola's tired nod he assumed she'd fall asleep but her eyes fluttered shut as she took a deep breath.

 

"Daddy had a nice friend who had sleepovers," she whispered. "He used to bring me lots and lots of toys. "

 

Louis rolled his eyes. _Talk about buying the kid's affections_.

 

"He wasn't nice anymore and I didn't say goodbye because he broke my best toy," she admitted.

 

"What was your best toy?" Louis wondered, trying to change the subject.

 

"A hedgehog," Lola shared. "With sparkly prickles. "

 

Louis nodded, storing away that information for later. 

 

"Daddy was sad," she mumbled, clinging onto consciousness. "He didn't let me meet his friends after that."

 

Louis felt tears threaten at the corners of his eyes; a familiar pain flashing through his chest at loss and heartbreak.

 

"You know what I think?" Louis stroked her hair gently as she sighed. "I think your Dad's scared for himself as much as you. You know how it feels to be scared, right? I think you need to go easy on him."

 

Louis watched Lola's lips form a barely there smile.

 

"I knew you were a princess," were her last words before sleep claimed her.

 

//

 

"Do you know any princesses that swear?" 

 

Louis bounced down the hallway to the kitchen where he'd left Harry too long ago, surprised the other man hadn't come to find him.

 

"Harold?"

 

Louis looked around the empty room and found no trace of Harry or the tea he was supposed to be making.

 

Gliding into the living room brought answers. Two mugs rested on the coffee table, both full of brown liquid.  Harry's head was knocked back, soft snores pealing from his throat.

 

Louis couldn't help his snort of laughter, having to clamp a hand over his mouth to temper it.

 

He sat beside Harry on the seat and curled a hand around his neck, allowing his fingers to scrunch into the thick of his hair.

 

"Haz?"

 

Harry woke with a start, wiping the dribble away from the corner of his mouth.

 

"What-? Is Lola okay?" He asked, half asleep and muddled. "Do you need-"

 

"Fuck," Louis murmured, small fingers pushing into the back of Harry's hair. "You're so-"

 

Harry turned to look at him, green eyes hazy with the remnants of sleep, lips a little dry.

 

"Is Lola okay?" He asked again, eyes flicking to Louis' mouth.

 

Louis grasped at the hair in his fingers and leaned up, curving his hand to angle Harry's face toward him slightly as he manoeuvred enough to reach.

 

It wasn't the way he had planned it in his mind- _not that he **had** planned it_ \- but perhaps if he had let his mind wander that path of how he'd kiss Harry, they'd both be standing; perhaps chatting over coffee propped against the kitchen island instead of semi conscious and awkwardly sat on the sofa but-

 

 _It was a big but_.

 

Louis also hadn't planned for the way Harry's lips felt against his. Warm and pliant; shy at first and then becoming bolder, pressing more firmly as they parted to allow their mouths to mesh.

 

He hadn't planned on the little wanting noise that grated out of Harry's throat.  He hadn't planned on Harry cupping his own face as if to keep it there while he took his fill, hungry tongue eating up Louis' breathy sounds.

 

It was over too quickly and Louis hadn't planned for that either; or the way his body yearned for those long fingers to roam his skin.

 

 _Fuck_.

 

Holy _fuck_.

 

He shot up off the sofa, tugged from Harry's grasp.

 

"Lou..."

 

Louis' hand went through his fringe, his heart nearly exploded because it pounded so hard.

 

"Fuck..." he looked around, not knowing what to say, what to do.

 

"Louis, it's -"

 

"Shit, sorry," he blurted. "Motherfuck.  I'm - _shit_. I'm as good as fired," he mumbled, backing towards the door.

 

Harry stood up.

 

"Please don't go," he begged, wide eyed and swollen lipped.

 

 _Swollen lips_. Because Louis had kissed him.  He winced, turning to make better progress towards his escape.

 

"Louis, wait!"

 

If Louis waited as Harry asked then he would end up doing something he regretted. And not only him but Harry would regret it too because he had two great guys to choose from and Louis was neither of those guys.

 

So he didn't wait. But he wanted to. He wanted to climb into Harry's lap and kiss him until those throaty noises became full on growls, until Harry rolled him into the sofa cushions and covered him with his heavy weight.

 

He wondered if Harry liked to top or bottom and would they fight over it or would they give in easily to the other; content just to be together that way.

 

He tried to stop the thoughts flooding his mind as he stalked back to his trailer and shut himself away, body trembling from the monumentality of what he'd just done.

 

//

 

The plane ride to Colorado was tense.

 

Niall's family had a farm out there and the plan was to spend the days in the fields and the nights having intimate conversations in a converted barn.

 

Harry pretended to sleep, one eye slitted to watch Lola who was being entertained by Lottie. Louis sat with his sister and apparently ended up with the child-minding duties as Lottie moved seats to flirt outrageously with the crew. 

 

Tommy the sound man seemed to be her favourite if he'd read the body language correctly.

 

If only he could read her brother's body language as easily.

 

Louis hadn't avoided him. In fact he'd been almost defiant in facing him, expecting Harry to report him but Harry had no reason to report him. None at all.

 

He'd encouraged what had transpired between them. And...well, he had kind of _liked_ it.

 

He watched as Louis slipped a gel eye mask over Lola's eyes, an action that made her kick and giggle and even when one of her mini-conversed feet landed in Louis' groin he recovered with a purse of his lips and a sheen in his eyes that made Lola bite her lip apologetically. 

 

Louis pulled her into his lap, laying back with a warm flannel over his face; his arms looped around the little girl's body to stop her falling.

 

When she climbed about to get comfortable enough to sleep, Harry called her over.

 

"Lola, come here please love..."

 

Lola pouted and slid out of Louis' lap; her black jeans and t-shirt far too much like Louis' own outfit. Harry flicked his eyes over his mini human and felt something pinch in his chest.

 

"Daddy, we were just playing..."

 

"I can see that sweetheart but Louis probably wants to sleep...Not have you clambering all over him," Harry kissed her hair to soften his teasing words.

 

"You two are funny," she smirked, tugging at a cloth bunny from her toy selection.

 

"Why?" Harry asked.

 

"Because Louis says nice things about you and you say nice things about Louis but you don't say nice things to each other. "

 

Harry's throat felt oddly dry.

 

"I...uh, I don't know what you mean," Harry cleared his throat, eyes dragging away from the scruffy haired man now reclining in his seat to sleep, flannel still covering his features.

 

Lola rolled her eyes and lifted up the bunny only to plop it against Harry's chest firmly.

 

"Adults are so stupid," she claimed, annoyed by his reply apparently.

 

"Hey none of that," Harry scolded. 

 

"Well you _are_ ," she smarted. "I'm five and even I'm cleverer than you are."

 

" _Cleverer_ is not a word honey. You're not so smart after all."

 

Lola leaned over to hug him messily, bunny and all.

 

"I know you're scared Daddy," she whispered against his chest. "You don't need to be scared because I'll hold your hand."

 

Harry felt tears well in his eyes and a smile slip onto his lips, jaw aching. He wrapped his arms around his beautiful little girl and choked out an incredulous huff of laughter.

 

"I love you so much, Lo."

 

"Love you," she murmured back.


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you
> 
> Ang

Colorado was Louis' personal version of hell.

 

Harry and Niall seemed to suddenly hit it off, laughing and jostling together during hay baling, sharing a seat during tractor lessons and laying together in Niall's rather opulent barn-converted apartment once the sun had gone down. 

 

Louis slipped away to find Lottie and check on Lola while Mike filmed the last scenes between Harry and Niall- _probably kissing scenes_ \- with clinging gazes and easy smiles.

 

Louis tried to ignore the bile in his throat. He tried to smile tightly around the jealous reflux that burned in his chest for no apparent reason because-

 

Well why the fuck _wouldn't_ Harry Styles kiss a man like Niall Horan? Why would the fact that Louis had kissed him just the night prior cause any bump in his little road to long-term happiness?

 

If Louis ever needed a reminder that he'd made the biggest mistake of his life last night then this was it...loud and painfully clear.

 

"Why d'you go?"

 

Louis looked over his shoulder. Harry was fastening his belt buckle. They were halfway between the barn and the main house; tyres stacked up around them and long grass growing between the rubber rounds.

 

Louis turned and let his eyes travel over Harry's broad shoulders onto his chest, pectorals swelling softly beneath the fabric of his t-shirt where his nipples were erect under it. The t-shirt clung to the centre of his belly, hinting at the muscle there. His jeans were fastened with his belt, tight over his thighs and calves and tucked over brown boots.

 

"Don't think I really needed to see the reason your belt was undone," Louis quipped but his voice was husky and strained like his grim smile.

 

"Because I ate too much jambalaya," Harry mumbled lowly, looking up under his lashes.

 

It was past sunset, low lit and getting chilly. Louis shivered, rubbing his hands over his arms.

 

"Here," Harry shrugged off the thick check shirt tossed over his shoulder.

 

Louis pulled it on gratefully.

 

"I was about to find Lola." He said.

 

"Me too." Harry replied.

 

"Don't you want to roll around in the King bed a bit more?" Louis enquired, biting his tongue as he realised how accusatory that sounded. "Never mind," he muttered, turning toward the house with his arms wrapped around himself.

 

"I have to make a decision," Harry said behind him.

 

Louis paused.

 

"I know."

 

"You're not making it easy," Harry mused, licking his lips.

 

Louis bit his own, letting out a shaky breath. 

 

"I never meant to make this complicated for you," he murmured, hoping his admission would float away.

 

"You shouldn't have worn the tiara then..."

 

Louis squeezed his eyes shut and tried to control the thrashing of his heart.

 

"Harry..."

 

He felt Harry move behind him. His chest brushed his back and one of his hands curled gently around Louis' upper arm, thumb rubbing against his flannel-shirted skin.

 

"We can't," Louis whispered.

 

Harry brushed his lips against Louis' temple, into his hair.

 

"I want you more than I've ever wanted anybody and yet there's two guys out there who deserve a Prince."

 

Louis felt the answering flare in his belly. 

 

 _I want you too_. _All of you. Not just the part you're showing **them** but the parts you're afraid to show, too..._

 

He swallowed the bitter taste in his throat.

 

"Then you give them their Prince," Louis managed to rasp out.

 

He felt Harry tense behind him, hand tightening briefly only to loosen completely.

 

Louis knew then that kissing Harry wasn't his worst mistake. But lying to him and letting him go _was_. For the sake of what? A TV show? His job?

 

He heard Harry sigh and felt him move away, heavy steps grinding into the gravel path.

 

//

 

Louis was thankful that Greg took it upon himself to come on set.

 

The Colorado sky looked beautiful with mountains as a backdrop and horse-riding was a given the following day.

 

Louis managed to hide behind his boss and give Harry a sample of the kind of asshole he had to work under.

 

Greg had already taken Harry to one side and considering the number of times Harry's gaze had flicked towards Louis, he'd be very surprised if his name hadn't come up in that conversation at least once.

 

Probably along with apologies for his unprofessional conduct.

 

Louis was surprised then, when Greg told him he was leaving; nearly as soon as he had arrived.

 

"The millionaire likes you," Greg announced. "He's happy with the way things are working so I'm leaving it in your capable hands..."

 

"Sir, I-"

 

"Think scandal, Louis," Greg patted his arm. "You know what I mean..."

 

Louis rolled his eyes with a long suffering sigh because he refused to sabotage any of the Bachelor's relationships but with the help of his rather mischievous team they had managed before to set up the odd drama in the final days of filming.

 

Louis had told the crew on day one that Harry wouldn't have the same treatment because he was their first gay bachelor and Louis figured that was enough to be getting on with, without a bunch of production guys messing things up with his dates.

 

And so the staff adhered to his rules as they filmed a cosy romantic dinner between the long haired cowboy and the blonde haired leprechaun. 

 

It was only Louis who watched the scene with a burning ache in his gut.

 

//

 

"And none of it's working?"

 

Niall twisted his wine glass between finger and thumb.

 

Harry shook his head quickly, biting his lip.

 

"He wasn't jealous at all?"

 

Harry shrugged.

 

"I was pretty blatant when I told him I wanted him..."

 

Niall snorted out an undignified laugh.

 

"I can see why you kept me around..."

 

Harry looked at him guiltily.

 

"I promise that I never intended to use you..."

 

Niall waved a hand.

 

"I offered, mate," Niall assured.

 

Harry nodded, appeased.

 

"So what do we do now?" Niall wondered.  "Want me to kiss you?"

 

Harry shook his head again.

 

"I don't want to actually hurt him."

 

"You just need to get him to realise that _he's_ your pick..."

 

Harry swallowed.

 

"I need to tell Liam." 

 

He felt his face pale.

 

"No offence Hazza, but while you were hanging around at the mansion Liam befriended the art guy...not sure he'll be as cut up as you think about not getting picked. "

 

"So I don't pick either of you?" Harry checked.  "Is that even an option?"

 

Niall shrugged. 

 

"Can't see why not. What an ending. _Boom!_ Mic drop..."

 

Harry waited until the end of the night to give Niall a hug.

 

"Thank you," he expressed meaningfully. 

 

"No problem."

 

"I want you to meet Lola," Harry shared then with a shy smile. "But after I've sorted out this whole mess," he added softly. "It's not fair to her or Louis for you to meet her now."

 

Niall patted his arm.

 

"Good luck in New York," he said before walking away.

 

//

 

Lola was laid across his lap, his arm bent to cushion her head. His stool was parked a little way from the table to allow her room to shift if required. 

 

Harry sipped his tea slowly as he watched his daughter sleep; her flushed cheeks the only sign of her illness.

 

She'd woken him screaming at 2am and his eyes were puffy and squinty with the lack of sleep; his body feeling it's age.

 

He couldn't help the way worry laced his veins despite the fact it was just a fever and he'd already administered medication. Lola was his baby and he couldn't leave her. He waited until 4am to make the call.

 

"Lou?" Harry tucked his cell phone between his ear and shoulder.

 

He heard Louis yawn on the other end.

 

"Yes, Harold? What can I do for you at this ungodly hour?"

 

His voice was hoarse and he sounded like he still had his eyes closed. Harry felt guilt spear him in the chest, then took a breath for courage.

 

"Lola's sick."

 

There was a beat of silence. 

 

"What? Do you need a first-aider? Or an ambulance? _Fuck_..."

 

"Lou, " Harry's teeth clung to his lower lip, curbing his smile. "We don't need an ambulance."

 

"Is she okay though? How can you be sure?"

 

Harry brushed the backs of his fingers gently over her forehead. 

 

"Her temperature is going down and she's sleeping finally...but I can't come sightseeing today," he sighed.  "I just can't leave her..."

 

"No it's okay," Louis assured quickly, mind spinning fast. "We can do filler shots and narratives, maybe grab you for half an hour and-"

 

"Thank you," Harry said lowly.  "We really appreciate it."

 

"She's um. She's ok then?" Louis hedged.

 

"She will be. Thanks Louis."

 

Harry hung up with a wistful smile at his sleeping daughter.

 

"If only you had another Daddy like that."

 

//

 

Louis found a sparkling hedgehog in a toy store in the city.

 

New York wasn't his favourite place. He wasn't a big fan of towns or people and he'd grown up running through grassy fields and playing with farm animals. 

 

So the stench of car fumes and constant traffic noise were bad enough but being shunted and pushed was beginning to set him on edge.

 

Harry was staying at Greenwich Village of course while Louis and the rest of the crew bummed it at a hostel. Liam had a place but it wasn't big enough for all of them unlike Niall's parent's farm.

 

He was let up to Harry's rented apartment without a glitch, finding himself rapping his knuckles against the door before he'd really considered what he was doing there. 

 

Harry opened the door with a pale face and defeated shoulders drooping, hair tied up into a messy bun.

 

His eyes blinked at Louis until recognition filtered through to his brain.

 

"Is it time to film already?" Harry asked, his voice husky with exhaustion as he hid a yawn behind the back of his hand.

 

Louis rolled his eyes, long lashes falling to his warmed cheeks.

 

"I uh...actually I brought something. For Lola. To, you know...cheer her up."

 

Harry led Louis inside. 

 

"She went back to sleep after some warm milk mid-morning but I have to wake her for her next meds soon. You can give it to her yourself if you can wait around?"

 

Louis licked his lips. The _last_ thing he should do was wait around.

 

"Uh okay. I, er-"

 

"I'm about to throw myself a quick lunch together," Harry narrated as he walked through the hipster-style apartment. "Are you hungry?"

 

Louis was hungry for the way Harry's long grey marl shorts hugged his pretty little behind.  He was hungry for his wide shoulders showcasing the printed text of his white vest in big blue and red capital letters 'HOT'N'HARD'.

 

He had appetite for this thick, wavy hair to be pulled out of it's stretchy band so it could tumble over his shoulders and find it's way into Louis hands. 

 

He cleared his throat. 

 

"What are you making?"

 

"Eggs...some bacon...maybe some pancakes?"

 

Louis hummed.

 

"Sounds good to me."

 

Lola was curled up in an armchair, cocooned in a duvet and clutching her cloth bunny.

 

Louis laid his gift bag on the table before hopping up on one of the breakfast bar stools. His feet dangled from not being tall enough.

 

Harry went about making their food quietly as the radio pitched crackly songs over the airwaves; inspiring some throaty karaoke from Harry and a little wiggle from his bum. Louis caught him yawning too many times to not comment on it.

 

"I can watch Lola for a bit if you want to catch a few z's," he offered, regretting his words when Harry twisted to smile sleepily at him, the smile not quite reaching his eyes.

 

"Aren't you supposed to be getting me ready to film a filler?"

 

Louis shrugged, eyes trickling from Harry's tired features to the semi-circle of his chest exposed by the vest. He shouldn't be imagining how it would feel to press his lips there, whether he was the right height to reach without going on tip-toe or bending to fit. He shouldn't be but he _was_.

 

What was that old saying about wanting something more once you told yourself you couldn't have it? Louis swallowed with an ache in his chest that wouldn't budge.

 

"We got a big section with Liam already," Louis managed to murmur, flicking his eyes away when Harry turned back to the stove. "We can fit yours in tomorrow if Lola's better."

 

Harry nodded with a hum.

 

"I think she will be. It's probably a cold coming out."

 

Louis noted the way he switched from foot to foot, shoulders tensing slightly.

 

"You worry a lot," he said, and it was an observation not an accusation.

 

Harry turned and gave a huff; rolling his eyes.

 

"Single parent, remember? I don't have anyone to share this with or ask. I mean, I call my Mom and I check online but..."

 

"You're doing it all alone," Louis commented.

 

Harry smiled wanly, using a spatula to measure out portions of food onto two plates.

 

"I worry constantly," he admitted as he slid onto a stool beside Louis once he'd delivered the plates.

 

He'd mixed tomatoes and something green with scrambled eggs; drizzled the bacon with syrup and cooked the pancakes thick just how Louis liked them.

 

"And yet you rustle this up and I can hardly boil an egg," Louis teased.

 

Harry's elbow brushed his as he forked up some eggs.

 

"I hope you like spinach, I put some in the eggs..."

 

"Probably the first time I've ever eaten it," Louis admitted as he shovelled in a large mouthful of all three foods. He ate with hamster cheeks and glanced at Harry.

 

Harry's face had taken on a warmth that hadn't been there before, eyes soft and lips curved gently as his cheeks took on some colour. He looked away when he realised Louis had noticed him staring.

 

"So... what's in the bag?"

 

Louis reached for the gift bag and slid out the toy.

 

Harry looked at it for long seconds, just chewing his food; a mar forming above his brows.

 

"H-How did you know about-"

 

"Lola told me," Louis quickly offered, wiping the back of his hand over his mouth. "Her favourite toy, right?"

 

"What exactly did she tell you?" Harry asked, laying down his fork. He was very still all of a sudden. His smile was gone.

 

"That her favourite toy got ruined," Louis murmured, not wanting to divulge the entire story Lola had embellished him with.

 

Harry's eyes were on him then, assessing, as if he knew.

 

"She told you about Keith."

 

Louis swallowed.

 

"I wasn't aware of a name."

 

Harry sighed, picking up his fork.

 

"I can't believe she talked to you about him."

 

"She didn't," Louis quickly assured, heart pattering strangely in his chest. "I mean, not really. She just mentioned the toy and how-"

 

"How he walked out on us?" Harry intercepted with a bitter tone.

 

Louis licked his lips.

 

"Uh...well she mentioned he had left, yes," he managed to say in a cautious voice.

 

Harry shoved a large piece of pancake in his mouth and stubbornly ate it.

 

"She never talks about him," Harry said sometime later in the quiet kitchenette. "Not even to me."

 

"I guess she loved him."

 

Harry shook his head, swallowing hard, an unhappy smile flitting onto his lips.

 

"No, but she knew _I_ did. So she tolerated him. He wasn't awful," Harry added quickly. "I didn't force my child to live with someone she _hated_ but-"

 

"But?" Louis prompted gently, carefully uncurling his fingers from his knife to brush the back of Harry's hand which lay on the breakfast island next to his.

 

Harry sighed again and his shoulders dipped even further if that was possible.

 

"We argued at the end. Too much, really. He picked up her hedgehog and ripped it in half."

 

Louis' eyes widened in shock, lips parting in a surprised gasp.

 

Harry pursed his lips, grim smirk twisting there.

 

"Yeah. The guy turned out to be an ass-hole but we thought it was just a bad patch, that we'd make it through and..."

 

"You didn't," Louis' hand cupped the back of Harry's in comfort.

 

"We didn't," Harry echoed as his eyes rested on their joined hands.

 

"Harry, you couldn't just end your relationship because you had a few arguments," Louis bolstered. "You did the best you could at the time."

 

Harry twisted his neck to let his eyes fall on Louis' face.

 

"Did I?"

 

Louis squeezed his hand.

 

"You absolutely did. There's parents out there who have screaming rows and never split up," he mused. "You had to try and work things out."

 

Harry's nostrils flared as he sucked in air.

 

"I wish I hadn't let him hurt her."

 

"You had no control over that," Louis said softly. "He hurt you, too. You both had to heal from it."

 

Harry blinked, a confused kind of wonder brightening his eyes.

 

"How do you-?"

 

Louis lifted his brows.

 

"How do I what?"

 

"Do that?" Harry asked as he straightened in his seat. "How do you just--make people feel better?"

 

Louis rolled his eyes and let his gaze wander the room with an ironic huff of breath passing his lips.

 

"Special talent," he whispered derisively.

 

"Yeah, I think it is," Harry said earnestly beside him, twisting his hand but Louis slipped his away before he had any ideas to join them.

 

Now was not the time to be making moves on the Bachelor who still had a decision to make.

 

"Well," Louis brushed his palms down the front of his thighs with a grimace.

 

Harry drew his hand back more slowly, eyes glued to the side of Louis' face.

 

"We can wake Lola up now if you like."

 

Louis rubbed his lips together, gathering courage and composition.

 

"Sure," he agreed, sliding from his seat.

 

//

 

He had planned to leave right after gifting Lola the toy.

 

The little girl had cried happy tears at her new hedgehog, instantly calling him 'Lou-Lou' after Louis.

 

Louis had shared that his mother liked to embarrass him by calling him Lou-bear, especially in front of his friends and potential boyfriends. He'd also told Harry how an ex had once likened him to the animal, saying he was cute but prickly on the outside.

 

Harry had smiled sleepily before nodding off against Louis' shoulder.

 

Louis didn't have the heart to wake him to move so he'd laid Harry's torso gently in his lap and had shuffled up closer to Lola, curling her under his other arm as she wrapped her duvet around herself once more.

 

It was only Louis who didn't get any sleep that afternoon.


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I think this is the first of my stories with such a high hit count without being completed! So thank you. I notice everyone and everything (comments and kudos) I hope you know how much I appreciate your support. It's a two way street, I can't write without you so thank you, to everyone who supports me by reading, editing, correcting & commenting & liking. Love you all.
> 
> Ang

Harry called Louis at 4am to confirm he'd be okay to film that day.

 

He arrived on set with loose, messy hair pulling on a thick knitted jumper in a forest green that Louis felt should be banned. It went with his blue jeans and brown boots and the hazy olive of his eyes. Louis didn't want to kiss him.

 

He _didn't_.

 

He felt if he kept telling himself that, he might start to believe it. He'd read somewhere that you could heal yourself with the power of positive thought so there was no reason why it wouldn't work for inappropriate feelings either.

 

"Here," Louis curved Harry's hand around a fresh coffee. "You might need this."

 

Harry blinked at him.

 

"You didn't have to go."

 

Louis paused. He lifted one corner of his mouth. It wasn't an accusation but it also _was_ , of sorts. And Louis _did_ have to go. Or he might have done something else that he would later regret.

 

"You started to drool on my jeans. I didn't want people to think I'd peed myself..."

 

Harry barked out a loud 'ha!' that drew the attention of the crew. He quickly slapped a hand over his mouth and flushed.

 

Louis watched him with a wondrous expression.

 

"That might have been my only chance to see you with wet thighs," Harry murmured before sipping from his cardboard cup.

 

Louis gave him a bemused look, still curious about Harry's blatant flirting.

 

"I'm sure the chance will arise again," Louis mused.

 

"I hope so," Harry cocked a brow.

 

"Morning!" Liam's bright, excited voice preceded his hands clapping together.

 

"Hi," Harry turned and greeted him with a smile as Louis took a step back subtly, twisting away to start work for the day.

 

"How's your little girl today?" Liam asked with a concerned frown.

 

"Much better," Harry assured. "Lottie is watching her and if anything changes she'll let me know."

 

"I was pretty bored yesterday," Liam admitted. "Glad you're back."

 

"So where to first?" Harry asked, cupping both hands around his drink.

 

"Can we climb the Empire State?" Liam asked. "There's no clouds yet and you'll get a great view..."

 

"Sounds good," Harry smiled, following the eager man on their first adventure.

 

//

 

"So, there's something I need to say and it's not easy..." Liam hedged.

 

Harry arched his brows, turning his head to focus on Liam. They were leaning on their elbows on the railings, over-looking the city.

 

Harry glanced behind them.

 

"Mike, can you give us five?" He asked.

 

Mike nodded and directed the crew to take a break. Harry looked for Louis but the smaller man had told him he'd wait at the bottom, too afraid of heights to come to the top.

 

"What's up?" Harry asked in his smoothest voice.

 

"I uh..." Liam licked his lips nervously, fingers twining together. "God, this is going to sound ridiculous but-"

 

"You met someone," Harry supplied for him, relishing the way the other man's mouth o'd, brown eyes like two toffee pennies. He couldn't help his throaty chuckle.

 

Liam gaped.

 

"How did you-?"

 

Harry bit his lip.

 

"Because I did too," he shared quietly with a hopeful smile.

 

Liam frowned.

 

"Niall?"

 

Harry shook his head, flicking his eyes back to the view.

 

"Fuck...it's _Louis_ isn't it?" Liam whispered.

 

Harry stretched his lips into a frog-like smile.

 

"Maybe."

 

"It's Zayn for me," Liam added then with a sigh. "I honestly didn't think..."

 

"That it could happen in six weeks?" Harry supplied amusedly. "Ditto."

 

Liam straightened, forcing Harry to do the same so that they faced.

 

"You're going to forfeit the show?"

 

Harry pursed his lips.

 

"I need to have a meeting with Greg to find out how it works. But I'm not picking either of you if that helps," he mused.

 

Liam let out a breathy laugh, stepping forward to land a bear-hug on Harry.

 

"I'm so happy for you."

 

Harry tightened his arms, pulling Liam in with warm grin.

 

"Me too. Happy for you that is. Not me," he mumbled.

 

Liam pulled away to place a gentle kiss on his cheek.

 

"You deserve a nice person," he said.

 

Harry heard a throat clearing a few feet away, ripping his eyes from the doe-like pair to focus on Louis who was stood in the foyer of the top floor; not venturing past the linoleum onto the concrete balcony.

 

"Sorry to interrupt," Louis said, features tight and hands clasped together. He looked pale if Harry had judged rightly. "Lola's asking for you," he added quietly.

 

Harry blinked at Liam.

 

"I'll see you tomorrow for tea at the Waldorf?" He checked.

 

He still had to meet Liam's family even if they had just decided not to take things further.

 

"Absolutely," Liam nodded, watching Harry hasten toward the lifts to take him down to ground level.

 

//

 

Karen Payne was a lovely, warm woman with addictive hugs and a nervous giggle that Harry found endearing. Her husband Geoff regarded Harry with that knowing fatherly twinkle that all Dads had and Harry wondered if, as a father, he had that same look sometimes.

 

He didn't want to think about the time coming when he would be meeting Lola's prospective partners and so he decided then and there she wouldn't be allowed to date until she was 30. Maybe 40 if he could enforce it.

 

Liam had two sisters who were nothing like Lottie and Fizzie but he reminded himself it was rude to compare the two families when they obviously had very different upbringings.

 

He focused on charming the Paynes but his heart wasn't in it, not really, and so when filming ended and he had only his narratives to do, he felt a sense of relief washing over him.

 

They did his diary piece in a private room at the Waldorf and as soon as Mike called 'cut', Harry's fingers moved to untie his bow-tie and loosen his shirt buttons from the neck down.

 

"Steady on there, Harold," Louis' voice chirped at him amusedly as his fingers hesitated over the button around his midriff. "Don't want to be letting that butterfly escape..."

 

Harry glanced up at him with a rueful tilt of his lips.

 

"I like being naked, what can I say?"

 

Louis' brow lifted high but he didn't respond.

 

"Flight leaves in four hours, Lottie's back at the apartment and all you need to do is pack..."

 

Harry got up then, hands resting on his hips under his suit jacket, sweeping it back.

 

"Do you want to say hi?" He asked, something shaky in his voice bringing Louis' gaze back to him where he'd been busy tidying away discarded rubbish from the crew.

 

"Sure," he straightened with a swallow. "Okay."

 

Harry nodded and strode from the room.

 

//

 

It shouldn't be awkward. They hadn't done anything.

 

Apart from kiss.

 

But it was only a _small_ kiss. Just a little thing really. Nothing to record in the history books of kissing.

 

Nothing to-

 

 _Fuck_.

 

That kiss was definitely going in Louis' private record books under 'Best Kisses Ever Had'.

 

He hadn't planned on any repeat kissing occurring. He didn't want to get in the way of an already difficult process. That's why he had told Harry to give the guys their Prince. He had meant it. He wasn't going to the be the guy that ruined Harry's potential happiness. Not to mention a whole TV show.

 

 _One that he worked on, to be precise_.

 

So how did he explain what was happening?

 

How could he possibly describe to anyone why he was pinned to the wall by Harry's wonderfully solid body; thighs alternating with the cowboy's and hips surging up for friction as their mouths connected; heated torsos brushing together harshly?

 

"Get that butterfly out," Louis whispered, fingers dragging over the material of his suit jacket and shirt but not actually making any progress to shuck anything off. "Please...god..."

 

Harry huffed, hips pinning Louis to the wall as he fought his way out of his jacket, shaky fingertips fumbling with the buttons of his shirt.

 

"Here," Louis' pulled his hands away from the material and grasped the shirt edges, yanking hard enough to rip the buttons from their sockets; sending them scattering over the carpet. Harry gasped, nostrils flaring before he surged forth for another kiss, harder this time and hotter; accompanied with throaty moans.

 

Louis dragged his hands down his back and grasped his ass, small but perfect, really, for Louis' small hands.

 

Harry melted against him, a noise scratched from his throat.

 

"What-what about-"

 

Louis was silenced from his questioning by the sharp tug of teeth against his skin; a sucking kiss exacted on the underside of his collar-bone; the sensation so sweet and sharp; pooling something in his belly. He hardened in his jeans, hips circling for purchase. Harry's hands circled his waist; one pressing audaciously over the front of his fly; the heel of his palm rubbing heavily down against the hard ridge forming there.

 

"Don't-" Louis begged, lashes fluttering to his cheeks.

 

"Gonna come, Lou?" Harry demanded, low and growled. "Already?"

 

Louis blasted his eyes wide open, shocked at the knowledge that he _could_. He could come right now with Harry's hand on him _over_ his clothes and those teeth and that tongue lathing his skin.

 

"Bite me again and I'll show you how hard," he panted in challenge.

 

Something dark flashed in Harry's eyes and he wrapped his arms around Louis' middle tightly to lift him, to move them to the next room where a bed was conveniently located.

 

"Wait, I can-" Louis' protests at being carried were ignored in favour of being lifted and then tossed on the bed, Harry's fingers tugging at his t-shirt and unfastening his jeans.

 

"Lou..." Harry hesitated, backs of his fingers brushing over his zipper; brushing over his ridged heat.

 

Louis nodded, breath hitching in his throat.

 

Harry peeled off his jeans, Louis pulling his knees to his chest to help but Harry circled both his ankles afterwards in big hands, parting his legs and holding them down to the bed as his green eyes roamed him; dominated by the darkness of his pupils.

 

"Did I mention I want you?" Harry asked, gaze reverent on Louis' body.

 

Louis squeezed his knees into Harry's waist.

 

"Did I mention I want you, too?"

 

Harry leaned over, one knee on the edge of the bed as his arms slowly circled Louis' waist again to drag him further onto the bed; teetering over him and landing with a soft huff of amusement as he fell on top of him; thick hair falling down.

 

Louis pretended to choke on it, whining as Harry's hand found his hard dick again; grasping around him through his boxers.

 

"Get them off," Louis tried to thumb into the waistband to drag them down but Harry was already obliging him so Louis placed his hands against his chest instead, experimentally thumbing over his nipples.

 

"Stop-" Harry gasped as Louis circled a rough thumb-pad over his sensitive nub. "...distracting me."

 

Louis smirked and slipped his fingers into the back of Harry's boxers as he leaned into him again and Louis took great enjoyment out of squeezing his ass; their kisses becoming languid and desired, tongues flicking out and lips biting for pressure.

 

"Lou," Harry ground down; half-naked against Louis' now completely-naked form.

 

Louis pushed his palms up Harry's chest to grip his wide shoulders.

 

"Whatever you do, don't call me _princess_ ," he warned.

 

Harry chuckled, hair a beautiful curled mess around his dimpled grin; eyes warm with affection and hot with lust at the same time. Louis wasn't sure he had seen the combination before, didn't remember being able to laugh with any of his previous sexual partners.

 

Harry cleared his throat, face sobering for a minute and Louis had to cup it, just to run his thumbs against his pretty cheeks in reassurance that this could be whatever Harry wanted it to be- or not.

 

"If Lola-" Harry began, voice thick with want.

 

"I know," Louis cut over him, leaning up to coax his lips into a tender kiss. "Harry, I know," he whispered. "It's okay...you can go, if you need to, I won't ever-"

 

Louis bit his tongue against what he really wanted to say.

 

 _I wont ever stop you. I won't make you feel bad about going_.

 

Because-

 

Well, they didn't have _forever_ did they? Louis didn't have the opportunity to prove himself beyond these six weeks; beyond what was happening _right now._

 

Harry made a strangled noise in his throat, weight rolling back onto Louis' slowly as Harry used his forearms to hold himself up. Their kiss was electric; deep and hot and wanting but something more underneath. Something trusting at the edges, something powerful and inexplicable.

 

"Want you," the words were low-pitched and throaty. Harry's lips kissed over Louis' skin to press the promise into him.

 

Louis wanted him too, so very much.

 

//

 

 _Fuck_.

 

"Fuck, fuck..."

 

Harry was big. He felt incredible. He felt-

 

Louis squeezed his eyes shut and huffed out a weak breath of pleasure.

 

"Mm, Lou..."

 

And the way he--

 

Just murmured lowly like that against Louis' ear, hair overwhelming him and nose sniffing out his weak spots.

 

Lips sucked gently into the join of his neck and shoulder.

 

"Ha-" Louis gasped, hips surging up; taking him deep. Harry's arms held him there; a growled sound of pleasure rumbling through his chest.

 

Louis could only cling on; arms wrapped around wide shoulders and legs wrapped around a slim waist.

 

"Please," Louis tried to lower his back to the bed so he could angle his hips higher. He started to let go but Harry moved them; something genius occurring because the next time he thrust, Louis' world came alight with stars. "How-"

 

"Not the time," Harry murmured. "Ask questions later..."

 

Louis reached for his own hard body-part, wrapping comforting fingers around himself as Harry sank in; stretching him open.

 

Those eyes trawled his for his secrets; studied his face in intricate detail before those plush lips dipped down to suck more sweetness from him but Louis gave everything he had because he was in no place to deny Harry anything he wanted. He was weak and flushed all over and he was about to come.

 

"Hm?" Harry hummed, hips setting steady, quicker rhythm.

 

"Yes," Louis answered although there was no real question.

 

Harry bit him, a hard, sucking kiss right on his chest above his pec; the sharp indent of his teeth and white skin filling with a garish bruise soon after. Harry's tongue lathed over the skin with rough wetness as his body stretched Louis tight in the best way possible.

 

"Want this," Harry whispered, pressing his lips together as if to stop the words falling out of them. "Always," he choked as his peak was hit; surprised little 'ah's' covering Louis' breathiness.

 

Louis came when Harry fell on top of him, weakened and spent and he closed his eyes as he shook with the force of it; his seed squelching between their bodies embarrassingly. Louis stroked himself through it, shuddering as his hand stilled; Harry laying, heaving breath on top of him.

 

 _Shit_.

 

Louis' fingers tangled in the back of his hair; anchoring them as he felt Harry tremble.

 

They really did that. They really-

 

"Please don't leave," Harry's words were latent against his chest.

 

Louis scrunched his hair gently in one hand, rubbing his over his bare back.

 

"Okay," he whispered.

 

 _Okay_.

 

Fuck.

 

//

 

At 2am, Harry was asleep when Lola woke from a bad dream.

 

Louis had got dressed and slipped from his room to settle her back to bed, telling her that he and Harry had a sleepover and that was why he was staying in Harry's room.

 

Lola seemed to know what a sleepover meant in adult terms so Louis didn't push the subject, just read her a story and tucked her toy under her arm as she drifted back to sleep.

 

He climbed back into Harry's bed, eyes going over his back- shoulders broad and waist slim; hair mounded messily in sleep, long slim legs kicked about but he was almost front-down, beautiful in his nakedness.

 

Louis had pulled the duvet over Harry and had snuggled close, waiting for the morning sun to come and the reality of what they'd done to come crashing down.

 

He knew it was inevitable that it ended but he wanted the golden glow of being with Harry to last a bit longer.

 

He wanted it to last forever.

 

//

 

"Did you have a nice sleepover with Louis, Daddy?"

 

Lola was her absolute innocent best the following morning.

 

Harry had showered before Louis woke up to tend to his daughter who was still recovering from her illness; but leaving the small brunette in bed had been much harder than expected considering he rated his child above anyone else, priority-wise.

 

Louis was still sleeping while Harry made breakfast but he could hear him in the en-suite of his room getting showered and ready as Lola stared up at him with wide hazel eyes.

 

He placed a plate of chopped fruit in front of her.

 

"I had a lovely sleepover, thank you," he smirked. "How was your night?"

 

"I had a bad dream," she shared as she picked up strawberry pieces between a tiny finger and thumb.

 

"Why didn't you wake me?" Harry asked.

 

"Louis came," she shrugged. "He told me a story and tucked me in."

 

"Did he now?" Harry mused dryly as he poked at his omelette with a spatula.

 

He wasn't sure how he felt about Louis attending to his child without checking with him first but he couldn't deny it was sweet that Louis hadn't wanted to wake him and had instead gone to make sure Lola got back to sleep.

 

His body was still buzzing all over from last night; certain parts aching with loss from not still being embedded within Louis the way he was mere hours ago. But overall he felt excited like a kid who thought their crush might like them back.

 

Lola regarded him with a thoughtful frown.

 

"Are you mad?"

 

"Nope," Harry popped the 'p' as he flipped his omelette.

 

"You think he'll leave," Lola sighed, clutching her hedgehog to her chest.

 

Harry turned and looked at her, his vulnerability showing on his face.

 

"I don't know, sweetheart. Maybe."

 

"Princesses don't hurt other people," Lola stated with a stubborn bounce of her folded arms.

 

"No," Harry conceded with a swallow. "I'm hoping not."

 

Louis chose that moment to wander into the kitchen, freshly showered and in last night's clothes. His brows were high and he was bouncing. _Little Tigger_.

 

"What's going on here then?" He ruffled Lola's hair as he came by her to lean on the island, eyes flicking over Harry assessingly.

 

Harry lifted the pan off the heat.

 

"I was asking Daddy about your sleepover," Lola piped up.

 

Louis' gaze settled on Harry's and held it.

 

"I'd say it went swimmingly well, wouldn't you, Harold?"

 

Lola giggled at Louis' nick-name for her father, pressing her toy over her mouth.

 

"Daddy, he called you Harold!"

 

Harry couldn't help the smile that lit his lips.

 

"Yeah," he rolled his eyes. "Funny Louis..."

 

He went about cutting the omelette into three and placed the plates up on the island, pausing in front of Louis before they both sat to eat.

 

"Are you--uh, you okay?" Harry checked.

 

Louis looked up at him, hand cautiously lifting so that he could pluck at Harry's top.

 

"I'm good...are you?"

 

Harry nodded tersely, biting his lip.

 

He and Louis stared at each other, eyes eating the other up.

 

"You may as well just have a kiss you know," Lola's voice speared their moment.

 

"What?" Harry looked past Louis' shoulder to smile at her bemusedly.

 

"You like to kiss me when we first wake up and when we go to bed," Lola recounted.

 

Harry lifted his brows at Louis.

 

"It's true, I do..."

 

Louis smiled, little lips pursing in amusement. He lifted his chin as Harry leaned down, hand cupping Louis' side to steady him as they tilted their faces to fit. The kiss was gentle and surprisingly tender considering they weren't exactly new to this. They looked at each other, a little wide-eyed.

 

"There," Lola narrated happily. "Now you can eat breakfast with me."

 

"Yeah," Louis breathed, mind boggled. "Now we can---"

 

He sighed, knowing he wouldn't be able to concentrate on anything now that he'd kissed Harry again. Again. _Fucking hell_.

 

//

 

"So you have two nights at the luxury pool house," Louis was explaining as they all gathered for the filming schedule for the final. "It's Niall night one and Liam night two..."

 

Both guys grinned at Harry, causing him to fiddle with his hands nervously.

 

"We'll film a part where you invite them with a hand-written invitation and you could of course choose not to stay overnight with either guys..."

 

The way Louis' gaze lingered on Harry at presenting him with the option of vetoing over-night stays with the suitors had something curling in Harry's belly. Only he and Louis knew about what had happened between them; intimate and secret.

 

Only Harry knew about the dark red love- bites that littered Louis' chest and neck, the other man choosing to wear turtle necks to cover his bruises. It made Harry's skin burn knowing he'd sucked those marks into him and he had an irrational urge to see them now, two days later and find out if they were still tender; and were they still as bright?

 

"We think you'll find the provisions fancy enough to enjoy the facilities, though," he added in his trademark light-hearted way, except a smile didn't grace his lips and he swallowed something bitter after.

 

"Sounds like fun," Niall commented beside Harry.

 

"Can't wait," Liam added.

 

Harry lowered his gaze to his thighs. Both guys were doing their best to make Louis jealous but he wasn't sure he needed help with that, really. Louis already looked ready to throttle anyone who came near Harry which was strangely erotic to Harry who wanted nothing more than to claim Louis as his own, too.

 

"Right, thank you, Lou," Harry murmured softly.

 

"I'm gonna sling my cossie on," Niall told Harry. "Let's get some pool-volley going..."

 

"I have to invite you first," Harry rolled his eyes as he stood up slowly. "Let's film that part..."


	10. Chapter 10

Lottie agreed to stay overnight with Lola while the pool house filming took place.

 

Louis stayed at the edge of proceedings, avoiding the details of Jacuzzis and champagne with Liam and yoga-mat wrestling with Niall.

 

He waited until dark on the second night to sneak in for a midnight swim; slicing through the water with a steady pace to kick away his frustration.

 

Not sexual, although he could argue he had some of that too. He was frustrated because Harry didn't belong with either of the guys he was sharing the pool-house with, he deserved someone genuine who could read his moods and take care of him properly.

 

Niall and Liam both seemed like nice guys but they just didn't seem to understand Harry properly. They didn't laugh at his silly jokes or play with him when he was feeling playful. Niall might get boisterous but it wasn't the same as blowing bubbles in Harry's face only to watch him curl up into dimpled giggles.

 

Louis wanted to do that. So bad.

 

A water-based plop had him surfacing; treading water as he squinted around. He wiped the water off his face, flicking his face side to side. He hoped Liam and Harry hadn't decided to skinny dip or-

 

"Argh!" He felt himself get pulled down fast, a strong hand around his ankle, tugging him under.

 

He managed to get a mouthful of air into his lungs before he went down, kicking ineffectively at the lump holding him. He was only down for three seconds before he was released, bobbing up with a gasp.

 

"Fuck!" He swore as Harry surfaced, long hair weighed straight with liquid.

 

"Your mouth is still dirty," Harry observed.

 

Louis arched a brow.

 

"You think you're one to make accusations?" He enquired, pointing to the biggest love-bite on his body; the one above his collar-bone.

 

"Not dirty," Harry shrugged, letting a smirk slip onto his lips, his eyes sparkling. "Talented, I'd say..."

 

Louis blinked, treading water.

 

"I was actually kinda curious to see my art," Harry added in the beat of hesitation.

 

Louis let out a breath.

 

"There's more than I realised," Louis mused.

 

Harry swam closer, hand cupping Louis' neck. He thumbed at the bruises by his shoulder, biting his lip as he spotted one in the corner of his jaw. His eyes flicked to Louis' mischievously. He dipped his gaze to his chest; falling on the darkest bite, sliding closer to tangle their legs, one arm slipping around Louis' waist.

 

"Does it hurt?"

 

Louis shook his head.

 

"I'm tough, remember?"

 

"Oh yeah," Harry dipped his head, licking a broad tongue over the bruise only to fasten his mouth beside it, sucking another mark right next to the first, still-tender mark.

 

"Jesus," Louis slapped a hand to the spot once he'd finished, his dimpled grin flashing before he twisted and swam away. "There's a fucking shark in this pool!"

 

Harry laughed from afar and Louis kicked up water to catch him.

 

//

 

Floating together, kissing languidly, Louis' legs around Harry's middle as Harry gripped the bar at the side of the pool; Harry whispered some truths.

 

"I told Liam I couldn't stay the night with him."

 

Louis swallowed, meeting his gaze.

 

"Oh, okay..."

 

"Niall and I stayed in separate rooms last night, too..."

 

"That's um--"

 

"Lou...you know it's _you_ , right?"

 

"Me?" Louis murmured, breath hitching.

 

Harry smiled.

 

"That I'm choosing to be with. My winner."

 

"But I'm not a valid competitor," Louis said, confused.

 

Harry chuckled, kissing him again.

 

"I know."

 

"But-"

 

"Shh," Harry brushed his lips against Louis' jaw. "Trust me."

 

So Louis did.

 

//

 

"I know we've talked about this and I think we both agree that our destinies are not aligned," Harry murmured to Liam under the fake low lighting overhanging the trees on the paddock where the final scenes were being filmed.

 

Liam's hands enveloped his own.

 

"You're right, Harry. It just wasn't meant to be for us."

 

"I wish you all the best in your search for Mr. Right," Harry added with a lop-sided smile, his eyes flicking to meet Liam's brown ones.

 

Liam nodded.

 

"The same for you...you're a special guy, Harry and you deserve someone who'll take care of you and Lola."

 

Harry's lips twisted, his eyes wetting.

 

"Alright, enough of that," he teased.

 

Liam leaned forward to slide an arm around his shoulders, pulling him in for a hug.

 

"No hard feelings, mate," he grinned over Harry's shoulder.

 

"Thank you," Harry appreciated, sighing out as Liam walked back down the pathway towards the house.

 

Now he had to have the same conversation with Niall to put the show to bed once and for all.

 

//

 

"You're sure about this?"

 

Harry had been seated in the small back room where he filmed most of his narratives during the rose ceremonies, only this time, Greg was sat with him.

 

"I'm sure," Harry nodded.

 

His decision to reject both of the finalists hadn't gone down too well, apparently. Nigel had escorted him to the meeting with the big boss and Harry's heart had began palpitating, wondering where Louis had got to.

 

"So this thing with Mr. Tomlinson...it's no longer one sided?"

 

Harry gritted his teeth, nostrils flaring.

 

"It never was," he offered honestly.

 

Greg's eyes flicked to the side, his lips pursing thoughtfully.

 

"You do realise you've signed a contract which states you can't be seen publicly displaying affection with anyone until the show has aired?" Greg posed. 

 

Harry frowned, his mind working overtime. He'd discussed the point with his lawyer and it was a standard clause for these types of show. It would have pre-air promotion and Harry would need to be seen as single. Once the show was over whoever he picked was meant to stay a secret and he'd agreed to the terms because he'd assumed he'd be in the early stages of dating. Not already halfway in love with someone.

 

_And not even someone who was participating in the show._

 

"Okay so what does that mean?" Harry checked. "No holding hands and kissing?"

 

Greg blinked, schooling his features into a benign expression.

 

"We're sending Louis to work on another show for two months until the whole thing blows over," Greg explained. "When he comes back you can do as you please."

 

Harry made a face of disagreement; a scoffing sound leaving his lips.

 

"No," Harry frowned, glancing at the Boss. "Louis didn't sign anything to say he had to stay away, alright? I'll honour my contract but you can't just-"

 

"Louis has a contract, too," Greg reminded him with a tilt of his head that angled his laser-like gaze upon Harry's face. "He knows the situation and he leaves in two days."

 

"You've already-" Harry gaped, horrified.

 

"Mr. Styles, what did you think coming on a reality show would mean?" Greg enquired pertinently.

 

Harry felt a ripping pain in his chest, something like mortification and shame flushing his cheeks. He should have known better than to trust a television show to care more about his feelings than their own ratings. He should have thought about the terms of his contract more seriously.

 

"You can't stop us from seeing each other," Harry got up slowly; his words were quiet but laced with challenge.

 

"No, but I can sue you for breach of contract if you get pictured together," Greg quipped lowly with a smirk.

 

Harry stared at him and decided to turn and leave the room before he acted on his overwhelming urge to strangle the man.

 

 

 

//

 

 

"Where is he? Where's the Bachelor?"

 

The voice was too loud to belong to anyone other than a Tomlinson.

 

Harry smiled meekly as the tall, long haired brunette clocked him and gasped in recognition, flying toward him. It was the after-party already, the final having been filmed and officially in the can for editing, leaving the cast and crew to let down their hair.

 

"Harry!"

 

Harry grinned, fond memories of his time at Fizzie's primary school flooding back as he wrapped her into a hug.

 

"Hey, how's the kids?"

 

"They miss you!" She claimed. "They think you should become a teacher at Highcrest."

 

Harry nodded his approval.

 

"Maybe I can bring some horses by and have a riding session."

 

Fizzie clapped her hands together happily.

 

"We'd love that"

 

"Erm, let's not overwhelm the talent," Louis' dry voice cut in, his hand pulling at the back of Fizzie's dress to tug her away from Harry.

 

Harry looked handsome in his black velveteen boots and matching Stetson and Louis let his eyes roam over him slowly as he tucked an appreciative grin into the corners of his mouth.

 

"Lou," Fizzie turned to hug her brother warmly, rubbing at his small back. "How are you?"

 

Louis shrugged, flicking Harry a look.

 

"Fine. Glad filming has wrapped, at least..."

 

Harry nodded his agreement to that statement.

 

"So who did you pick?" Fizzie asked audaciously, brows raised.

 

"I'm not allowed to say," Harry declined politely. "You'll have to wait until it airs."

 

Fizzie pouted and gave Louis a look.

 

"Is he serious? We really can't know?"

 

Louis swallowed, avoiding her gaze a bit.

 

"Not for another couple of months, sis."

 

Fizzie looked between then, lips twisting.

 

"As long as you thought about what I said," she directed at Harry.

 

Harry winked.

 

"I did. Very much so."

 

Louis frowned curiously, about to open his mouth to complain but Fizzie cut in first.

 

"Where's Lottie?"

 

Louis lifted his chin.

 

"She's over there with Lola," he explained. "They're just doing a goodbye ritual or something, I'm not sure..."

 

Fizzie slipped into the crowd to find them. Louis was about to turn to Harry to say something when a honey-haired five year old streaked by him.

 

"Daddy!" She launched herself at Harry's shins and was instantly picked up and hitched onto Harry's hip.

 

"Hey, short stuff."

 

"Lottie plaited my hair..." Lola picked up the braids to show him.

 

"You look very beautiful," he kissed her nose. "Like always."

 

Lola twisted in Harry's arms to reach for Louis, tugging his suit-sleeve.

 

"Louis, why're you dressed like a Prince?" She wondered.

 

Louis rolled his eyes and gave a dry huff.

 

"It's called a dress-code, Lola. One day you'll know what that means."

 

"You still look pretty," she said.

 

Louis smiled at her, eyes crinkling.

 

"So do you. I love your dress..."

 

Lola had picked her Belle dress to wear to the party, yellow and blue. She'd met Niall and Liam and had played horses with Niall for a while but now she reached for Louis in a way that had Harry frowning.

 

"Honey, what're you doing?"

 

"Louis-time," she said as though that made sense.

 

Louis put his drink down and held out his arms but Harry paused her from climbing over.

 

"Lou, are you sure?" He checked.

 

Louis looked at the little girl.

 

"It's our turn to say goodbye isn't it?" He checked.

 

Lola nodded and Harry felt tears rush to his eyes that he hadn't expected. He wanted to make plans with Louis to meet up again, to see each other again soon so that this wouldn't be an issue. He wanted to set boundaries of how often Lola could come visit and ask whether she could call or Skype if they couldn't fly out. He had wanted to do all of that before Greg's speech and he still wanted to do it _now_ , even if it meant he might get served.

 

"You don't have to say goodbye," Harry said in a soft voice as he passed Lola over, her small legs clinging around Louis' body.

 

"Bored!" Lola sang loudly to Harry's earnest speech.

 

Louis grinned, eyes crescenting as they met Harry's once more.

 

"Let's talk about it later," he suggested.

 

Harry felt reluctant to let them go. He brushed a gentle hand down Lola's back. He had the weight of Greg's words laying over his shoulders but he didn't want to ruin the night by sharing his worries.

 

"Alright, later," he nodded eventually, fighting his urge to lean in to drop a kiss to Louis' mouth.

 

"I want to meet these cows of yours," Louis remarked before he twisted away with Lola in his arms.

 

Harry just hoped that one day it might be possible.

 

//

 

Later turned out to be after the party had emptied out, after Louis' sisters had gone home. It was after Lola had fallen asleep against Harry's shoulder, a familiar weight.

 

They hovered in the hallway, feet shuffling and lips bitten.

 

"I want to see you again." Harry said.

 

He'd shucked his jacket off some time ago, his simple white shirt was half unbuttoned. His hair was a pretty flyaway mess.

 

Louis met his gaze and held it, his throat bobbing.

 

"I'd like to see you again, too, Harold," he admitted, eyes dipping to the floor.

 

Harry knew why he was avoiding his gaze.

 

"Greg told me about New York," he ventured softly, his hand glancing gently over Lola's back.

 

"I'm only going for a couple of months," Louis murmured, lips pinching in one corner. "Apparently 'America's Next Top Model' need their ass kicking into gear..."

 

"Were you going to tell me?"  Harry asked, his throat tightening to make his words sound accusatory.

 

Louis licked his lips and swallowed.

 

"Maybe it's best if I'm out of the picture for a while."

 

"Best for who?" Harry's brow lifted to challenge him. 

 

Louis swallowed hard.

 

"I don't exactly get a choice," he whispered.

 

"I thought you wanted this too," Harry beseeched with wide green eyes.

 

"I do," Louis promised. "I just know how this thing works and it's all about the ratings. People won't watch if they think you end up with your assistant..."

 

"So that's what matters to you? The ratings?" Harry accused.

 

"No, god," Louis sighed, twisting the hem of his t-shirt between two hands. "But what kind of situation would that be if we're always watching over our shoulders? We can't just disappear and people will see us. They'll -"

 

"Think we're together?" Harry ground out darkly.

 

Louis looked at him.

 

"You know you agreed to this."

 

"I agreed not to kiss anyone or hold their hand in _public_. I don't see how taking you to bed has anything to do with that..."

 

Louis blinked, heat flaring in his belly. He wanted to be _taken_ to bed. Every night if possible. But they just _couldn't_. Not for another two months. Not properly at least.

 

"We could have stayed in touch," Harry's voice was quieter now, pleading. "It's not just about sex for me, Lou, I think you know that. "

 

Louis _did_ know that. He knew how he felt, too. He knew that no matter how many miles were between them or _days_ in fact, his heart would still beat only for Harry. He was in love with him and he had been for some time.

 

"We still can," Louis murmured.  "I can call you every night from the Big Apple."

 

"You hated it there," Harry remembered with a grimace.

 

Louis shrugged off the truth.

 

"I'll be ok."

 

He didn't feel okay in any degree but saying it made it feel halfway real. 

 

Harry was staring at him with the kind of dark eyes that didn't come from being turned on; that didn't come from rolling around with Louis and making love to him. His features were drawn and tight, jaw sharp with the clench of his teeth.

 

Louis' eyes flicked to the little girl laying on Harry's chest and his heart squeezed painfully ~~.~~

 

Harry blinked at him, lips pressed together until he began shaking his head, a grimace flickering over his lips.

 

"I don't know if this is such a good idea," he stated then, voice gritty with emotion.

 

Louis stepped forward to circle Harry's wrist with his fingers; his expression belying his horror.

 

"Wait-"

 

"I need to get Lola home," Harry stepped back, gently tugging his wrist from Louis' grip. "Have a safe flight, Louis. See you when you get back."

 

Louis frowned, stuttering forward to try and stop him but Harry strode purposefully away; deliberately keeping his back to Louis while he vanished into the night.

 

" _Fuck_ ," Louis whispered to himself, closing his eyes and knocking his head back in woe.

 

 

//

 

 

"Well didn't you _tell_ him?"

 

Louis sighed, rolling his eyes and letting his head loll back against the cab seat. His sister had called him the second he'd landed at JFK.

 

"It's not like I didn't try," Louis clipped, voice tight with the hurt he felt. "He wasn't exactly up for listening," he added darkly.

 

"Harry is a darling, I can't believe he'd just-"

 

"Well, he did, Fizz," Louis cut over her. "He might be Prince Charming to you but he fucking well walked out, alright?"

 

The line went quiet; the static buzz pounding in Louis' ears along with his heartbeat. He squeezed his eyes shut and pressed his lips together, biting the inside of his cheek gently in regret.

 

"Sorry-I'm...I didn't mean to snap at you."

 

"No you're right," Fizzie soothed in a softer voice. "Harry isn't a Prince and you're my brother. I just wish..."

 

Louis swallowed hard, tears springing to his eyes. _He wished, too_.

 

"Yeah," he mused, tugging one corner of his mouth upwards as he opened his eyes to check where they were. "I know."

 

"What about Lola?" She asked then, voice quiet.

 

Louis cleared his throat.

 

"I'm not sure yet. I'll text Harry later and see if I can call her sometime."

 

"Louis..."

 

"Fizz, please," he begged with a hoarse voice. "I have to go to a work meeting I can't-"

 

"You can't give up because of this," she said anyway. "It's obvious he's scared."

 

" _He's_ scared?" Louis scoffed. "He's not the one who's had to watch someone he's falling for date six other guys..."

 

Fizzie let out a soft gasp at Louis' confession.

 

"You-you _love_ him?" She asked.

 

Louis ignored the question.

 

"I have to go Fizz. We just pulled up at the hotel."

 

"Don't give up Lou," She called before he ended their call. "Don't let go!"

 

He got out of the taxi and paid the driver, tugging his case behind him.

 

_Don't let go._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi All  
> *ducks and runs for cover*
> 
> Ang


	11. Chapter 11

_Can I still talk to Lola?_

 

Harry flicked his gaze from his phone screen towards the little girl knelt on the carpet, a huge white sheet of paper rolled out for her latest creation. She was very busy with pens and had paints lined up as well. He cocked his head at the scene but knew better than to ask questions.

 

Still, he had to broach this subject somehow.

 

"Lo?"

 

"Yes, Daddy?"

 

"How do you feel about talking to Louis on the telephone?"

 

Lola looked around, pen poised in between little fingers that boasted turquoise painted nails. The same turquoise as Louis' nails when Lola had done Princess Parties with him. The same turquoise as his underwear when he'd fallen asleep on the sun lounger by the pool back at the mansion.

 

Harry's tummy twisted.

 

"I'd like to," Lola answered simply, biting her lip. "Am I allowed to?"

 

"Of course you are," Harry unfolded his propped-up feet from the edge of the coffee table, sliding his ranching magazine onto it's surface.

 

"When is he coming to dinner next?" Lola asked, going back to her sheet.

 

"I'm not sure, sweetheart. You can ask him when you speak to him, okay?"

 

Lola frowned, capping her pen to twist and stare at her father.

 

"Aren't you mad at him, though?"

 

Harry's brows poked right up on his forehead. Lola had been asleep when they'd argued, there was no way she could have known-

 

"What makes you think that, honey?" Harry asked carefully, squeezing his bun in one large hand and picking at the hem of his tee-shirt.

 

It felt good to back in his normal clothes, comfy and worn. He didn't miss the suits and floral shirts all that much but they resided in his wardrobe for when it took his fancy to wear them.

 

"Because you shouted at him and then he flew away," Lola recounted with an innocent hazel gaze.

 

Harry blinked at her, lips falling apart.

 

"I shouted at him?" He managed to push through the tightness in his throat.

 

"I wasn't really sleeping, Daddy," she sighed as though this was of great inconvenience to her to have to tell him. As though he should _know_.

 

"Right," Harry murmured with a twang. "I guess you missed the part where Louis said he wanted to leave, then," he added bitterly, not expecting a five year-old to understand his words.

 

Lola went back to her drawing, arching a huge red semi-circle over the top half of the page.

 

"It's a rainbow," she told him inconsequentially. "All weddings need a rainbow."

 

"Who's having a wedding, Lo?" He wondered, distractedly.

 

"You and Louis," she answered calmly, reaching for the red paint.

 

Harry bit his lip, fisting his hands into his top.

 

"Honey-"

 

"Louis didn't want to leave," she said then, her little tongue poking out as she concentrated on painting the rainbow line with a straight edge. "He _had_ to leave. He said so."

 

Harry side-eyed her as he checked his phone. Something barbed in his chest, a reminder that maybe he wasn't the innocent party in their fight.

 

He tapped a response into his phone.

 

//

 

"I miss Lola."

 

Louis - who had been sat on the edge of the hotel bed- flopped backwards into the plush covers with a sigh. His sisters didn't know the meaning of minding their own business. He squeezed the bridge of his nose between thumb and fore-finger.

 

It was really the last thing he needed; to be put through an emotional ringer. The last three days on the set of his new assignment had proved to be tough work. The models were all a bunch of diva's and he was running around after Tyra Banks who although was very nice, also had a great many demands.

 

Demands he wasn't quite used to fulfilling.

 

Ice-cream cake at four in the afternoon. A nail appointment in an hour's time.

 

He wasn't in a stable mind to be dealing with Harry right now, let alone his beautiful daughter whom he missed so much it made his heart ache.

 

"Right," he managed to invest a modicum of interest into his tone.

 

"This brat I'm watching now is so badly behaved!" Lottie continued. "He pinched me today... _pinched_ me! I'm covered in bruises..."

 

"I'm sure Harry would have you back in a heartbeat, Lots," Louis mumbled, opening his eyes to stare at the ceiling. The swirling pattern reminded him of one of Harry's shirt from the Bachelor wardrobe; a khaki paisley print that suited his eyes.

 

He clenched the bed sheet in his free hand. He was a ruined man.

 

"So have you talked to him yet?"

 

"Not yet," Louis supplied succinctly, hoping it would be clear the subject was closed.

 

"Are you going to?" Lottie pushed.

 

"I think it might be necessary when I call on Friday to speak to Lola," he mused softly.

 

"Louis-"

 

"I'm tired, sis," he managed to find the energy to cut over her. "How about I call tomorrow?"

 

The line went quiet for a moment.

 

"Yeah of course, Louis. Talk to you soon."

 

Louis ended the call and flung the phone on the bed, a small thud signalling it had bounced off the mattress onto the floor.

 

//

 

It was Harry's fault, really.

 

Why should Louis be the one to try and resolve things when Harry had walked away? Louis had wanted to talk about it, had wanted to try and work something out. It was Harry who told him it wasn't going to work.

 

If Harry didn't want to try then Louis would respect that, he wasn't about to-

 

"Hi."

 

His stomach lolloped at the deep voice scratching against his ear.

 

"Hello, Harold..."

 

"Lola's right here, hang on..."

 

Louis rolled his eyes with a whispery gush of acidic laughter. The guy couldn't even spare one minute to make friendly conversation. It wasn't like they were _enemies_. It wasn't as though Louis had done anything _wrong_.

 

Fuck. But it hurt. It hurt to have Harry shutting him out when all along he'd been so open.

 

"Louis?" Lola's voice came out cautious on the line.

 

"Hey, princess," Louis forced the cheer into his voice that the little girl was used to.

 

"Louis!" She cheered, apparently getting comfortable on the other end if the rustling noises were anything to go by. "How's New York?"

 

"Eh...it's alright," he mused. "Not as much fun as Jacksonville, I'm sure..."

 

"We miss you," she stated then, little breaths evident through the speaker.

 

Louis pressed it closer to his ear.

 

"Yeah?" He mused. "Really?"

 

Lola made a 'mm-hmm' kind of noise.

 

"Daddy misses you," she added.

 

"I miss him too," Louis replied honestly, not wanting to weigh the little girl down with his baggage. "I miss _you_ ," he managed more brightly.

 

"When are you coming to dinner?" She asked him and that was a question he couldn't answer.

 

"I'm not sure. Let me ask your Dad," he suggested.

 

"Louis?"

 

"Hm?"

 

"I still think you're really pretty."

 

Louis felt tears fill his eyes and almost choked on his reply.

 

"I think you're really pretty too, darling. What have you been doing today?"

 

"I've been painting!" Lola replied excitedly with a gasp.

 

"What did you paint?" Louis wondered; frowning when a flurry of noise filled his ear.

 

"Uh, Lola had to go," came Harry's voice, deep and slow.

 

Louis blinked.

 

"Oh right. Okay. Um...she wants me to come for dinner," he ventured then, quietly.

 

"Maybe when you're back," Harry suggested vaguely, clearing his throat.

 

"I'm visiting this weekend," Louis offered. " _Every_ weekend in fact," he added pointedly.

 

Harry stayed quiet for a long minute.

 

"We're busy catching up with family this weekend," he said finally and Louis felt a strange pain shoot through his chest. Was that what a heart attack felt like?

 

"Okay. Well, I'll call again next week if that's okay?"

 

"It's okay, Lou," Harry murmured and for one second Louis felt hope flare in his chest where the pain had just burned out.

 

 _Lou_.

 

Harry hadn't called him that in too long and it felt--

 

It felt intimate, somehow. Like they'd just got each other off over the phone and were murmuring soft words to reassure each other.

 

"Bye, Harry," he whispered, fingers barely clinging to his phone as it slipped from his grasp. He didn't bother to pick it up off the floor.

 

//

 

"Right. We have got to do something about this..."

 

"He's moping around with a face like a slapped arse."  

 

"I even called Harry and he sounded miserable."

 

Lottie and Fizzie looked at each other over the kitchen counter in Fizzie's house.

 

"Maybe he's an idiot. Not sure I want an idiot dating my brother..." Lottie commented.

 

Fizzie rolled her eyes.

 

"He's not an idiot."

 

Lottie shrugged.

 

"Then why won't he see Lou?"

 

Fizzie curled her top lip under her teeth thoughtfully.

 

"You know what we need to do, don't you?"

 

"Get Louis to go on the Bachelor instead?" Lottie suggested.

 

Fizzie swiped her gently.

 

"We need to get Lola in on our plan."

 

"What plan?" Lottie frowned, tossing her blonde hair over her shoulder and looking at her painted nails.

 

"The plan we're about to come up with to get them back together..."

 

Lottie gave her sister a raised-brow look.

 

"Wait, why am I being involved?"

 

"You want Louis to be happy don't you?"

 

"Not if Harry's an idiot!" Lottie scoffed.

 

Fizzie pursed her lips, lids hanging low.

 

"He's not an idiot," she said again, more gently this time. "I think he's probably just scared."

 

Lottie thought about this, blue eyes lifting to her sister.

 

"So, what's the plan?"

 

//

 

"Daddy, which picture do you like best?"

 

Lola held up two photographs of Louis. One of him in a rather well-fitted grey suit that hugged his every sinful curve, his hair brushed up in a twirled quiff and his feet encased in smart shoes. The only other time Harry had seen him half as smart was at the end-of-filming party.

 

The second picture was of Louis topless in sweatpants, bare feet with his hair soft and messy over his forehead. He had wrinkles at the corners of his eyes and his smile was so incredibly beautiful, it took Harry's breath away for a second. It took his power of thought away, too.

 

"Daddy," Lola elbowed him in the knee with a sharp jab.

 

"What? Oh...this one," Harry pointed to the more relaxed Louis The one that he could kind of imagine waking up to.

 

Something felt tight in his chest.

 

"Hm...I like this one for the wedding," Lola selected the smarter version of the petite man to place with her painting. "Here Daddy, you can keep this one," she pressed the other picture against his thigh and he grasped it gently between finger and thumb, biting his lip wistfully as he stared at it.

 

"Will you have your hair up or down?" Lola asked him as his mind wandered away again. He was having trouble remembering why he was even mad. He was having difficulty defining what Louis had done to make him retreat the way he had. Suddenly the thought struck him that maybe it was his fault Louis had left the way he had, among bad feeling.

 

Harry had told him they could talk on the phone until the contract was honoured but then he'd-

 

He'd _argued_.

 

He'd made it sound like because Louis was in New York instead of Jacksonville that Harry didn't want to think about _them_.

 

And that wasn't completely true. It was-

 

Harry looked at his daughter.

 

"I'll wear it down, honey," he replied, without thinking about the question.

 

He sighed, standing to rest the picture on the mantel where he could look at it.

 

Lola twisted her lips into a knowing smile while he wasn't looking.

 

//

 

"You're not coming this weekend?" Fizzie asked tersely.

 

Louis rolled his eyes.

 

"They're calling me 24/7 for stuff," he relayed. "I'm getting paid to be available."

 

Plus, there wasn't any real reason to rush back. No _someone_ to rush back _for_.

 

"Get someone else to cover for you," she huffed. "We miss you."

 

"I miss you all too," he mused. "But I didn't see you every week when I lived there so..."

 

The line went quiet.

 

"Harry misses you."

 

The statement was brave, kind of shot in the dark with a hopeful flare. Louis felt his chest ache with the reminder.

 

"He told you that?" Louis derided.

 

"No but-"

 

"I'm calling him after this," Louis mused. "If there's any missing of any kind then I'm sure he'll express it..."

 

"Louis, don't-"

 

"Don't what?" Louis bit out.

 

"Don't be bitter," Fizzie counselled. "He's got a daughter who means the world to him and he promised not to let anyone get behind their walls. And you _did_ , Lou. _You_ did. So...he's bound to be freaking out now that the fairytale is over. Real life isn't as easy as the show."

 

Louis swallowed. Was that Harry's issue? That Louis' job was a problem in stabilising a bond with Lola? If Louis was to date Harry he could see why the other man would consider his travelling commitments a problem. Harry would need someone to rely on, someone to go to when nobody else was willing to help out. Louis wanted to be that guy but--

 

_He couldn't be._

 

Not right now.

 

"Fuck," he sighed, desolation flooding him. "It really isn't going to work, he was right..."

 

"That's not quite what I meant..." Fizzie grasped to rescue the situation.

 

"I have to go," Louis told her quietly. "I don't want to call Lola too late."

 

"Louis-"

 

Louis clicked the call end button before Fizzie could finish her thoughts.

 

//

 

"Louis?"

 

"Yes, angel?"

 

Lola made a noise of dissatisfaction.

 

"Daddy's the angel, remember?"

 

Louis swallowed hard.

 

"What were you going to ask me?"

 

"When you get married will you have your hair up or down?"

 

Louis frowned thoughtfully at the question.

 

"Can't say I've thought about it..."

 

"If you wear it down you can have a tiara," she said then knowledgeably.

 

"That's very true," Louis agreed seamlessly. "Who is it I'm marrying then?"

 

"Daddy of course," she said as though he was stupid.

 

He opened his mouth but nothing came out.

 

"News to me," he muttered.

 

"Wait, Daddy wants to talk to you," Lola said and Louis' stomach kicked up butterflies as the phone was changed.

 

"I'm sorry about that," Harry apologised in his soft voice, sounding tired and something else...kind of world-worn.

 

"She's had it in her head for a while, hasn't she?" Louis managed to force out with a rueful tone.

 

Harry hummed and went quiet.

 

"So," Louis cleared his throat.

 

"So," Harry repeated.

 

Louis heard Lola shout 'Daddy look!' in the background, heard the movement of Harry turning to see whatever Lola was showing him.

 

"Lola Grace," Harry warned in soft tones; piquing Louis' interest.

 

"What's she found now, a puppy she wants?" Louis teased, his humour forced and not breaking through the tension between them.

 

"No, she's found your tiara for the wedding, apparently," Harry relayed dryly.

 

Louis didn't know how to respond.

 

"I'm coming home for a visit, soon," he offered, trying to work in an opening that didn't pressure Harry into seeing him but that maybe instigated the other man into admitting he _wanted_ to.

 

He had only been gone for two weeks but it felt like years. He'd spent the last six weeks waking up to Harry and spending all his waking hours with the man only to have it all ripped away.

 

"I'd change my job you know." The words were out there before Louis could take them back.

 

"What?"

 

Louis gathered courage in the form of a breath.

 

"I can't do it right now but I can apply for something else...something based near you and-"

 

"It's not fair to ask you to do that," Harry denied quietly, voice raspy.

 

"I'm offering," Louis said with an openness he didn't entirely feel. "If you wanted it."

 

_If you wanted it._

 

Harry squeezed his eyes shut and felt Lola climb into his lap, taking the phone from his fingers. He wanted Louis here with him right now, curling up on his sofa and tangling himself in the knitted blanket his mum made when he was twelve. He wanted Louis laid on the floor with Lola playing dolls with her or helping her to paint. He wanted-

 

His heart-beat spiked.

 

He wanted the wedding that Lola seemed to be planning meticulously for the pair of them without their consent.

 

"...he's gone to sleep....I know. Daddy's tired now. Not like before with you, Louis. It's because you're a princess and you're magic..."

 

Harry made an aborted noise in his throat and wrapped his fingers around his cell-phone, tugging it from Lola's grip.

 

"I think you've said enough," he rumbled as she giggled and climbed down from his lap.

 

"Harold? Are you okay? Do you need me to call anyone?" Louis asked worriedly.

 

Harry hummed, rubbing his face with his free hand.

 

"I'm fine Louis. But I have to go now..."

 

"Oh. Okay."

 

Was there disappointment in those words? Was there hope?

 

Harry bit his upper lip gently.

 

"Lou?"

 

"Yeah?"

 

"Can I call you?" He asked with a swallow. "Another time...maybe without-without Lola?"

 

Louis let out a breath and Harry almost felt it brush his cheek like when they kissed and Louis got close enough to feel his heartbeat.

 

"Please," Louis rasped, his voice papery thin.

 

//

 

It took fifteen minutes of sitting and thinking things through before Louis re-lit his phone-screen, selecting his contacts.

 

He opened his laptop and clicked on the internet browser, frantically typing in words. By the time he found what he was looking for, he had already selected the number in his phone he was searching for.

 

"Fizz? I need you to come get me from the airport..."

 

Fizzie whooped loudly in his ear with a laugh.

 

"Thank god, you've seen the light!"

 

"3am, sis," he smirked, biting his lower lip. "Remember this was your idea."

 

Fizzie signed off with her assurance she was willing to fetch him whatever hour his plane got in.


	12. Chapter 12

What had felt like something of a grand romantic gesture at twilight was starting to feel like a huge mistake as Louis got out of Fizzie's car at near-dawn to stand in the courtyard of a silent ranch house; the lights all off inside. 

 

"Fuck. What am I doing?" He asked himself.

 

Harry would probably not appreciate him being there at this hour. He might not even appreciate him being there at all. He had asked for a phone-call, not a face-to-face meeting before sunrise. At the time he ended the call with Harry, his courage had spiked; filling him with adrenaline. But as he looked around the silent yard, doubt began to creep up on him.

 

He trudged up to the door, fingers tugging at the hem of his oversize jumper self consciously, his jeans jacket offering no additional warmth.

 

He knocked with the iron knocker loudly three times.

 

Something started whinnying in the barn and Louis winced, watching lights flicker on throughout the house.

 

"He's going to fucking kill me," he hissed to himself, overtly aware that behind him Fizzie was waiting in her car, just in case he got turned away.

 

"Only fucking psychos stalk your house at 4am and-"

 

"Lou?"

 

Louis whipped around, mouth gaping at the sight in front of him. 

 

Harry was wearing soft pink sleep socks and his grey shorts; his chest bare under what could only be described as some kind of silk men's smoking jacket and Louis wanted his hands tangled in Harry's hair in the next five seconds flat.

 

"Hi. Um." Louis tried to remember how to breathe. 

 

Harry was staring at him and blinking like he wasn't sure what to do or say. Louis knew the feeling well. Harry looked so soft, but so evidently masculine at the same time with his thick muscles built from an outdoor lifestyle. He was muscular and yet _sweet_ , it was an enticing combination.

 

"Who's that?" Harry squinted at the parked car. "Do they want to come in?"

 

Louis smirked.

 

"That's my meddling sister and she can go now if I'm not going to be stranded to the coyotes..."

 

Harry waved to Fizzie and she backed up to turn in the drive. Louis looked around at her, not sure yet if he had actually been granted entry into the house. If it didn't work out he'd be sleeping with the horses in the stables.

 

"I wouldn't have let the coyotes get you," Harry assured, eyes clinging to Louis' face.

 

"I wasn't sure," Louis shrugged one shoulder up delicately, lips stretching into a brief, wan smile. "Thought you might want me chewed up and spat out, maybe..."

 

Harry's eyes were still so intense; big and direct on him. He felt like the moon was gazing at him, all beautiful and soft but too overwhelming to look back at.

 

"Lou..."

 

Harry reached out, his hand lifting from the door frame to cup his face, thumb sliding into the groove of his cheek and grazing tenderly over his cheekbone.

 

"Fuck, I missed you," Louis breathed, peeking at the taller man with an anguished expression, as if he wasn't allowed to say those words aloud and maybe he wasn't because they still had over a month until the show aired but he didn't care. His courage had wings and it was flying dangerously high.

 

Harry stepped a bit closer, letting go of the doorway completely; his other hand coming up to cup his face, too and Louis lifted his face for whatever Harry was willing to bestow him with...a look, a strike?

 

When Harry kissed him it was with slow, careful consideration and Louis melted into it, his fevered need tempered by his exhaustion, Harry no doubt feeling the same. His heart beat into his throat, his body answered to the longing expressed by Harry's as he stumbled closer and everything felt perfect in that moment.

 

Harry's arm slid around his waist, one hand still tilting his face upwards so that their lips could mesh but Harry hauled him closer; a tiny rumble of a moan settling in his throat as Louis pressed against him; an easy catch to Harry's bait, reeled in without a fight.

 

He curled his fingers around Harry's neck as Harry pulled away, his digits reluctantly leaving his hair. 

 

Harry's lips twisted the same moment his features did, soft eyes filled with guilt.

 

"I was such an idiot..."

 

Louis shook his head.

 

"I should have told you about the job...about leaving...it was a shock, I know."

 

"I was so scared," Harry swallowed, the cool night air rushing in from behind Louis to dust up his arms, making him shiver, giving him goosebumps.

 

Louis wanted to move inside, to keep him warm and protect him but he wanted to hear the words in Harry's heart first.

 

"What were you scared of?" Louis asked, clutching at the edge of his thick silk jacket to anchor himself.

 

Harry managed a rueful flick of his lips.

 

"Losing you," he arched a brow.

 

"To New York?" Louis derided.

 

"No...Maybe," Harry tilted his head with a sigh, pushing his fingers through the tumbled mess of curls. "To New York or to someone else," he ventured.

 

Louis grasped both edges of his jacket and stepped inside, forcing Harry to step back. He pulled up the screen door behind him and rubbed Harry's arms gently.

 

"You couldn't lose me to someone else when I was already yours."

 

It was husky and quiet, but it was the most honest he'd ever been. His gaze fell to Harry's chest.

 

"Lou..." It was choked, lips pressing above his eyebrow to make him look up.

 

"I'm the one who had to watch you date other guys," Louis lamented lightly, heart thrashing in his chest.

 

Because maybe...just _maybe_ they could work this out.

 

Harry's gaze flicked over his face, a dig forming above his brows.

 

"You were jealous?"

 

Louis smirked, rolling his eyes.

 

"Fuck, yeah."

 

Harry slipped both arms around him and pulled him in tightly.

 

"You didn't need to be," he murmured against Louis' hair. "You really didn't need to be, you had me from the get-go."

 

"I didn't know," Louis murmured against his shoulder.

 

"I'm sorry," Harry's hand stroked over his back soothingly. "And I'm sorry I walked away over something so stupid..."

 

Louis winced at the reminder of the pain he'd felt on Harry's rejection, letting out a breath at imagining Harry not in his life at all. He needed to forgive Harry for hurting him but his heart felt frightened to let him all the way in.

 

"You need to learn to talk to me, Harold," he murmured softly, lashes brushing his cheeks. "You need to learn to trust me."

 

Harry nodded, his throat bobbing as he swallowed.

 

Louis knew that Keith walking out had caused so much of Harry's difficulty in letting people in; not only to his own life, but to Lola's too.

 

He reached up to kiss him again, slower this time, more heartfelt and meaningful. He pulled away with a sparkle in his blue eyes.

 

"Gonna take me to bed like you keep promising, cowboy?"

 

Harry's answering grin was worth every air mile to reach him.

 

//

 

"You're really not going back?"

 

Harry asked as he made breakfast the following morning; Lola propped in Louis' lap.

 

She'd cheered when she'd seen him sitting at the table and hadn't left his lap since climbing up into it.

 

"Umm, bad Louis," Lola shook her head.

 

Louis smirked and rolled his eyes. He'd told Harry last night that he didn't want to go back to New York. He'd told him while their legs had been tangled together and they were laying side by side; kissing softly.

 

"When I left, I told them I wasn't coming back," he shared. 

 

"Is it because Daddy kissed you?" Lola asked innocently.

 

"Lola-Grace!" Harry admonished. "Were you spying on us?"

 

She smiled to herself, fiddling with the hem of her dress.

 

Louis rubbed her arm.

 

"It kind of is because your Dad kissed me, yes," Louis replied honestly; eyes clinging to Harry's as he turned from the stove.

 

"Honey, even if Louis and I start dating it doesn't mean that -"

 

"I have pictures!" Lola gasped slipping from Louis' lap to fetch her wedding painting.

 

Harry sat with a hand plastered to his face.

 

"Just ignore what my daughter is about to show you," he begged with a low twang.

 

Louis smirked as he lifted Lola back into his lap with the giant-sized painting she was working on.  He helped her unroll it carefully onto the table.

 

He glanced at Harry only to find Harry with both of his hands now shielding his face.

 

"See, you look best in grey and Daddy can wear black to match and here's the tiara I found that goes best with your soft hair, because Daddy liked your soft hair best even though I think your swirly hair looks better..."

 

Louis choked out a laugh, grinning as Harry split his fingers to peek at them.

 

"Lola please can you just eat your breakfast before it gets cold?" Harry sighed, cheeks flushed as he moved his hands away.

 

Lola sat in her own seat while they ate in awkward silence.

 

"So," Harry broached eventually. "If you're not going back to New York what's the plan?"

 

Louis gazed at him.

 

"I don't really have one," he admitted with a cheeky smile.

 

"You can stay with us!" Lola offered quickly.

 

Louis tilted his head as he leaned back in his seat, gauging Harry's reaction to the invitation Lola just made. Harry chewed on his toast slowly, wide eyes focused on Louis' face.

 

"You can stay with us," he repeated when he finished his mouthful. The way his lips upturned in one corner made his dimple pool.

 

"I don't want to make things awkward," Louis broached quietly, flicking his eyes sideways towards where Lola was sat.

 

Harry nodded his acknowledgement of Louis' silent message and got up once they'd eaten, lifting Lola into his arms.

 

"Are you going to brush the horses with Jake today?" Harry asked.

 

Lola nodded and he moved to help her get dressed.

 

//

 

"I don't have a problem with you spending time with Lola you know..."

 

Louis followed Harry's climb up the ridge towards the fallow fields where his cows were eating. The horse Harry had loaned him was a beautiful golden brown, shiny with health.

 

"She'll get used to me being around though," Louis commented, adjusting the peak of his snap-back to shield his eyes from the sun. He was the farthest thing from a rancher in his jeans and sneakers but Harry didn't seem to mind much.

 

"She will," Harry conceded.

 

"And she'll think I've left her like Keith did."

 

Harry looked across at Louis, pulling on his rein to stop his horse. Louis trotted up close, eyes surveying the horizon.

 

"You don't _have_ to leave," Harry broached in a low voice, nearly a whisper.

 

Louis looked down to his thighs; lashes brushing his cheeks. Could he really give everything up to live here, to become part of this working ranch? How long would it take for him to miss the bustle of media life? Would he go crazy living and working with Harry, too?

 

"We can talk about it," Harry added when Louis stayed quiet. "I'm not asking you to parent Lola or share my room, we can start off as house-mates and-"

 

Louis looked up, lips tugging into a smile.

 

"You think I'm worried about becoming a parent to Lola?"

 

Harry slid his eyes away into the distance. Louis watched him swallow.

 

"It's a lot to ask of someone. It's a huge commitment and we haven't even tested _us_ yet, let alone-"

 

"I'll always be around for Lola," Louis promised then. "Even if we aren't... _you know_ ," he sighed.

 

Harry looked over, not liking the way Louis looked unhappy for once. He was so used to him being full of energy- _even when he was annoyed_ \- that this deflated version of the petite man made his chest hurt.

 

"Race you," he said, fidgeting his boots in the stirrups.

 

"What?" Louis looked over, twisting his hat a bit.

 

"Race you to the top of the ridge," Harry pointed to the crest of the hill.

 

Louis smirked and flicked his ankles, sending his horse into action; leaving Harry to laugh happily behind him in trying to catch up.

 

//

 

"What does the winner get then?" Louis asked, straddling Harry's hips.

 

They'd tumbled off their horses onto the soft, grassed ground; rolling around among hot kisses until Louis had pinned Harry's wrists gently down, the cowboy squinting up at him against the sun.

 

"Blow job?" Harry suggested with a smirk.

 

Louis had still lost their little race despite having the head-start. He lifted a brow and shuffled down, fingers unlashing Harry's belt.

 

"What is it with cowboys and these gaudy belt buckles?" Louis mused at the giant eagle emblem on the front of Harry's.

 

He chuckled breathily and grasped Louis' hips; tilting them over so that he could roll on top of the smaller man; weighing him down with a grin amongst his heated kiss; thigh pushing between Louis' for friction.

 

"Thought I was sucking you off," Louis blinked pretty blue eyes up at him when he paused from kissing his mouth to suck a much-needed mark into Louis' jaw. "Hey-" he panted breathily as Harry finished his work.

 

"Hey, what?" Harry arched a brow innocently.

 

Louis decided not to argue. Harry's heavy weight pressed his arousal into his hip; his chest heaved with the need for oxygen and his lips were as soft as petals, all swollen and red. Louis had no mind to complain. He wasn't sure he still had a mind at all.

 

"Gonna let me give you your winning prize?" He asked instead.

 

Harry shook his head, dipping down to kiss Louis more slowly, cupping the back of his head gently and flicking his fingers through his no doubt messy hair.

 

"Like kissing you too much," Harry murmured when their kiss broke.

 

Louis smiled slowly, hands slipping onto Harry's ass to give it a squeeze.

 

"Good job you didn't pick one of the other guys then," he mused smugly.

 

Harry's gaze flitted over his face, landing on his mouth.

 

"It's not my fault I saw _you_ first."

 

"Love at first sight?" Louis teased.

 

Harry tucked a smile into the edges of his mouth.

 

"Something about a British accent and swearing in front of my five-year-old did it for me..."

 

Louis laughed, chin tilting up to expose his throat. Harry licked his tongue over a bare stretch, biting a kiss into it to make Louis gasp in remembered desire. His fingers dug into the meat of Harry's ass as he tried to kick his legs out.

 

Harry blew a raspberry in the centre of his chest and rolled with a giggle as Louis tried to fight back.

 

"If you'd just stay still," Louis told him as he went to finish his work on his half-open jeans.

 

Harry's hand circled his wrist.

 

"Only if you want to," he said.

 

Louis rolled his eyes.

 

"Fucking hell, Harold. Been wanting to since you started prancing around the mansion in these sinful jeans of yours..."

 

Harry sucked in a breath as Louis' hand shaped around him; his mouth following soon after. He came loudly with his eyes screwed shut.

 

//

 

The cows were curious.

 

Louis looked up; sticky liquid decorating his lashes and cheeks, only to be faced with noses poking into his business. One white and brown mottled creature even lapped out a tongue which he darted back from quickly.

 

"No, Dani," Harry leaned up to stroke her shoulder gently. "Don't lick that..."

 

Louis went to wipe away the semen on his face but Harry cupped his face gently in his big hands and grinned before he had the chance to try.

 

"Let me," he insisted, brushing his thumbs gently over his eye lids and cheeks, wiping the white stickiness against his jeans.

 

"People will see that," Louis mused, licking a blob off his chin.

 

Harry picked some grass and scratched it against the denim, making a stain.

 

"Not gonna help our case," Louis smirked.

 

"I have to actually do some work," Harry commented, voice deep and slow, like he was still waking up. Louis liked that he had that effect on him from just his mouth.

 

"Don't let me stop you," Louis jumped up, cupping himself over his jeans. "I'm going back to the house for a cold shower and-"

 

Harry stood more reservedly, getting one knee first and then heaving himself up but when he did make it onto two feet, his arms looped around Louis' middle and brought him close in a hot kiss.

 

Louis whimpered and squirmed but Harry had other ideas and his hand curved around Louis' heat between them, fingers finding the ridge underneath the zipper of his jeans.

 

"Harry-wait-"

 

Harry thumbed the rivulet open, yanked down the zip and wrapped his hand around Louis while his tongue curled into Louis' mouth, other arm still holding him tight against him apart from the room he needed to manoeuvre his wrist.

 

Louis almost blacked out from it, from how intense it was, stars hitting the backs of his eyes as he desperately gasped for air and then he was shooting his own mess into the palm of Harry's hand; the taller man stroking him through his peak with a rumbling sound in his chest that sounded a lot like 'good boy' being mumbled from his lips.

 

Louis hoped he had imagined the last part and let Harry zip him up as efficiently as he'd undressed him; wiping away the come from his palm on his jean-covered ass.

 

"Now you're definitely going to look filthy," Louis breathed.

 

Harry smirked, letting him go with a pat to his behind.

 

"Well you look pretty ruined yourself so I don't think either of us is _getting off lightly_ ," he joked.

 

His eyes sparkled as Louis rolled his eyes, staggering a bit when he tested the worthiness of his own legs.

 

"I should head back," he dragged fingers through his sweaty, grass- strewn fringe.

 

Harry steadied him with a hand to his elbow.

 

"You'll be okay to ride?"

 

Louis- _distractedly petting a black and white cow_ -flicked his eyes upwards to lock with hazy green ones.

 

 _Ride_. Yes, he had plenty of images to accompany _that_ suggestion.

 

"Fuck," he whispered.

 

"Not in front of Steph," Harry admonished. "I think the ladies have seen quite enough for one day..."

 

Louis launched up onto his horse with a dazed expression.

 

"Take it easy on the way down," Harry rubbed the haunch of his horse.

 

When he reached the courtyard Louis didn't remember how he'd got there.

 

//

 

_Riding him._

 

It was-

 

 _Glorious_.

 

"Yee ha cowboy!"

 

Harry dimpled, turning his face to the side with a breathless snicker.

 

"Shut up..."

 

Louis ground down, circling his hips.

 

"Round 'em up."

 

Harry clasped his hands and twined their fingers, squeezing hard. 

 

"If you don't stop, I'm bucking you off," he warned.

 

Louis used their joined hands as leverage, sinking down on Harry as far as he could go to stretch around him.

 

"Perfect..."

 

"Mm, Lou..."

 

"Hung like a prize winning-"

 

Harry flipped them over, arms tightening  around Louis to take control without slipping out and they landed with a thud. Harry thrust deep enough to leave Louis speechless for a moment. 

 

"Good horsey..." he whispered.

 

Harry bit his collarbone for that, earning Louis' feet curled up over his hips.

 

Harry kissed him to keep him quiet, filling him heavy and hot and hard so that Louis had no energy to do anything but pant out sounds of pleasure.

 

It was so good with Harry. Always so good. His toes curled as he dug his heels into Harry's lower back to draw him closer if that was possible.

 

His hair was a curly waterfall over his face, lips pressing kisses into Louis' mouth between short gasped breaths and hums of appreciation.

 

When Louis arched his hips upward, Harry murmured 'so good' against Louis' ear, all hot breath and deep, broken voice. He kissed Louis afterwards; lips sucking the life from him in their quest for more.

 

Louis had to break free to gasp out his pleasure, to pant out the sounds that begged for freedom from his throat. Harry sucked a mark under his jaw as he shuddered; sticky release pumped into Louis' body.

 

Louis clutched at his wide shoulders; riding his own high as Harry's hand curled around him to tug him to his peak.

 

Harry fell on top of him, heavy and hot and a little bit sticky. Louis tried to catch air as Harry nosed at his jaw, sucking soft kisses into the stubbled skin.

 

"Did you call me baby?" Louis asked belatedly, damp lashes blinking open in spikes.

 

Harry propped on an elbow to look him in the eye, momentarily distracted into Eskimo-kissing him, then brushing tender kisses to his lips.

 

"Maybe...did I?" He asked, low and sultry.

 

Louis smirked, knowing this game. He'd managed to ignore the pet-names the last time, but 'baby' might be taking it too far.

 

"Think you did," Louis combed fingers through his tangled hair, letting them get stuck in the nest of knots.

 

Harry grinned at him, dimples lining his cheeks as his eyes screwed up in happiness, lips pursing slightly as his brow arched.

 

"Gonna tell me off, Lou?" He enquired smugly, shifting his hips to remind them both they were still joined.

 

Louis' breath caught. His eyes fluttered shut.

 

"Hm?" Harry nosed along his jaw, sucking sweet kisses from his throat.

 

"Can you--" Louis frowned. _What was he going to say?_

 

"Can I what?" Harry asked, sliding a hand between them to press gentle fingertips against Louis' rim where Harry still filled him slightly, albeit soft now from his release. The sensation was super-sensitive, not something Louis had experienced before. It made him want Harry all over again.

 

"Can you--"

 

 _Not call me baby_ , Louis' mind offered. His lips weren't obeying the command, though.

 

"What do you like to be called, Lou?" Harry asked, sliding out of his body gently and wrapping strong arms around Louis' waist as he leaned to his side.

 

Harry's hand cupped his behind in one large palm tenderly; a gesture which was far too hot for Louis to handle _after_ sex.

 

Louis pressed his hands to Harry's chest and let his fingertips swirl into the hair there; fine and light, right between his pecs. Harry's eyes lit up at the attention; his smile reappearing quickly upon his lips.

 

"Call me anything you like," he sighed.

 

Harry chuckled, drawing him closer into a cuddle.

 

"I have to get up for Lo."

 

Louis yawned kitten-like and nodded sleepily. It was early but he wouldn't have it any other way. If having Harry meant sex at day-break, he'd take it.

 

"We also need to work out a plan..."

 

"A plan for what?" Harry pulled away enough only to look Louis in the face.

 

"Of how we hide for the next few weeks," he mused.

 

Harry's gaze dipped to Louis' collarbones, his throat bobbing.

 

"I'm sorry."

 

"For what?" Louis thumbed his cheek.

 

"For signing that stupid contract. I didn't know that I'd-" Harry paused, biting his lip.

 

"Snog your assistant?" Louis chipped in brightly, tangling their legs together. "Pretty sure that wasn't on the agenda."

 

Harry smiled and ducked his head, cuddling into Louis once more, cheek to his throat.

 

"Glad I did, though..."

 

Louis smiled, fingers tugging through his messy curls.

 

"Me, too," he echoed gently, enjoying the quiet moment until time forced them to part.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *waits with nervously held breath*


	13. Chapter 13

Louis was hanging off Harry's neck; Harry's arms wrapped tightly around his middle, back curved to negate their height difference and they were smiling into each other's mouths after a scorching kiss.

 

The sun was dwindling behind the hills, flickering prettily as Louis squinted into Harry's face, tracing the way the sunlight dappled over his tanned cheek.

 

"No regrets?" He asked.

 

Harry shook his head.  Louis knocked his Stetson off and sank his fingers into those long lush curls. He watched Harry's lips stretch into a delighted  smile, dimple flexing in his cheek.

 

"Now what's all this, stable-hand?" Harry mused. 

 

They'd talked about it that morning. _The plan_. Louis would stay at the ranch as a farm hand for the few weeks required until the show aired and then he could come out of hiding. God's land around them was infinite enough to make him invisible to the press.

 

Louis sighed. 

 

"Want to make sure _this_ is what you want. That _I'm_ what you want..."

 

"It _is_ ," Harry curved to press a loving kiss to his cheek. "You _are_."

 

Louis swallowed.

 

"It might be difficult. When the show airs and people see the truth..."

 

Harry nudged his nose against Louis', sneaking a sweet kiss against his upper lip.

 

"I don't mind."

 

Louis huffed, his soft fringe fluffing in the gentle breeze.

 

"What if people don't like the idea of us together? You're the Bachelor so they'll automatically love you but I'm the guy that ruined your chances of picking a Prince.. .I'm the -"

 

Harry was kissing him again. Slow and sweet. His tight arms hadn't wavered. Louis felt hot up against him. He'd felt turned on the moment they'd started kissing if truth be told.

 

"You're the man I fell in love with."

 

Louis stared, dumbfounded.

 

"I fell in love with you, too."

 

"Apparently so," Harry's lips quirked.  "Quite convenient."

 

Louis rolled his eyes.

 

"They'll love you too," Harry said then, to respond to Louis' earlier concerns. "They'll love you because I do."

 

Louis swallowed nervously. They might not. But he needed a job and he'd just have to see how it went after the revelation. Hopefully the studio would edit him out of the story completely and Harry would be seen as the moralistic human he was, choosing neither Niall or Liam because he didn't have feelings for either.

 

"Daddy!"

 

Lola's happy call broke them gently apart, Harry bending to scoop up his exuberant daughter, pressing kisses over her pretty cheeks once he'd hauled her up.

 

"Hey beautiful. "

 

"Louis, now," she reached for the other man from her position in Harry's arms. Louis quickly secured her in his embrace. 

 

"How you doing, trouble? Did you come up here alone?"

 

Lola pointed down the hill a bit to where Jake had dismounted a four wheeler to check some broken fencing. He threw up a hand in greeting and Louis smiled at the little girl in his arms.

 

"Clever girl aren't you?"

 

Lola nodded with a giggle as Louis' fingers rippled over her back to tickle her.

 

"Do you think your dad looks grumpy?" He asked then.

 

Harry frowned.

 

"I'm not grumpy."

 

"I think he looks grumpy," Louis said again.

 

"Daddy why are you grumpy?"

 

Harry sighed and folded his arms, bulky muscles protruding.

 

"I'm not grumpy! I was just-" he paused, open mouthed. "Never mind," he muttered of what he was about to say.

 

"You were just kissing Louis," Lola supplied for him innocently. 

 

Harry flicked his gaze firstly to Lola and then to Louis.

 

"Are you teaching her this stuff?"

 

Lola smirked, fingers tugging at the neckline of Louis' t-shirt.

 

"Daddy you're always happy when you're kissing Louis so I knew what you were going to say."

 

Harry had no words. None at all. His daughter had fully betrayed him and he'd never forgive her. 

 

"Imagine how happy you'll be when you get married!" She gasped throwing her fisted hands above her head.

 

Harry let the shameful flush scatter his cheeks before resting his hands on his hips with a resigned sigh.

 

"I think it's time we went in for dinner..."

 

Louis touched the tip of Lola's nose with the pad on his pointer finger. 

 

"You need to give your Dad a break," he teased. "We talked about this."

 

"You did?" Harry's gaze narrowed.

 

"Secret flower girl stuff," Lola whispered. "Daddy's not allowed to know..."

 

Louis arched a brow with his own superior smile.

 

"That's right. Our little secret, eh?"

 

Harry twisted toward them but Louis moved off to fetch up Knight's reigns in the hand he wasn't supporting Lola with.

 

"What secret?" Harry asked as he started after them, pulling King gently behind him.

 

"It's called a secret for a reason, Daddy."

 

"But shouldn't I know if it's about _my_ wedding?" He argued.

 

Louis snorted his disagreement and twisted to say something but Lola had taken a breath to answer back before he had the chance.

 

"Louis will ask Daddy to marry him when the time is right even though he's the Princess and Daddy's the Prince but until then I mustn't talk about the wedding all the time because it stresses Daddy out," Lola streamed her remembered words, quick and breathy.

 

She looked up to beam proudly at remembering everything Louis had told her. Louis pursed his lips into a rueful smile, lashes fluttering in bemusement at being outed so blatantly to the man he planned to marry.

 

"Did I get it right, Louis?" Lola grasped the front of his t-shirt in small fists while Louis looked anywhere but at Harry, lips parting to answer her question with a whispered, _"That's right"_. 

 

Harry loped over, one hand sliding over Louis' cheek while his other arm slipped around his side, supporting Lola between them. He'd picked up his hat and settled it gently back over his curls.

 

Louis saw a different man these days. Not the fashion-savvy, sharp dresser of before. But a man who wore plaid so old it was worn to holes and rips and denim jeans so washed out they were almost colourless.  He looked incredible and smelled of sunshine and fresh grass instead of tobacco and vanilla.

 

"It's not the thought of marrying you that stresses me out," Harry's voice was deep as he murmured the words to Louis, face creasing.

 

"It's not?" Louis questioned with a high breathy voice.

 

"No," Harry leaned down to press a kiss to his lips. "It's the fact my daughter told you about my plan about five years before we're even near ready...:

 

Louis swallowed, nodding slowly, tipping his cheek into Harry's palm.

 

"Your plan, huh?"

 

Harry's lips tugged into a tiny, self satisfied grin.

 

"Yeah. My plan."

 

"It was _my_ idea," Lola huffed quietly. "Can you stop looking at Louis with love hearts in your eyes now, Daddy? I'm hungry..."

 

Harry chuckled at his daughter's input, bending to sip one more kiss from Louis' lips.

 

"Lets go eat," he suggested.

 

Louis kissed Lola's temple.

 

"The more food in your mouth the less trouble you cause," he teased with a grin.

 

Lola gave him a toothy smile back.

 

//

 

The picture was printed two days later. 

 

Lola's scream indicated something wasn't right and Harry hurried down the stairs in new blue jeans with long fingers unfurling the t-shirt he'd selected to wear.

 

It got rucked up around his ribs as Lola ran across the room to thrust the paper at him.

 

"Daddy! You're kissing Louis!" She crowed.

 

Harry's eyes narrowed on Mariam who appeared in the kitchen archway, wiping her hands on the edge of her apron.

 

"I didn't know," she apologised softly. 

 

The older woman always brought the daily paper with her each day on the way to the ranch, watching over Lola while Harry worked out in the fields.

 

"Fuck," he murmured as his eyes scanned the article. Not front page but...

 

**First Fake Bachelor?**

 

Harry gritted his teeth at the headline.

 

**This year's Bachelor has caused a sensation before the show has even aired! Thirty-two year old millionaire Harry Styles has been caught kissing a man who is _not_ a contestant.**

 

"How did they get on the ranch?" He darted his eyes up to beseech Mariam.

 

She smiled sadly.

 

"Probably had a long distance lens."

 

"That they use to shoot the moon?" He demanded, outraged. "Fuck!" He flapped the paper down by his thigh.

 

"Oh, Daddy!" Lola gasped, tugging his jeans knee roughly.

 

"Not now, Lola!" He snapped.

 

Louis slowly trod down the stairs and curled a hand over Harry's shoulder, making him tense.

 

"What's going on, Harold?"

 

Harry glared at him, lifting the paper up.

 

"They photographed us! Up on the hill when we were-"

 

Louis' fingers circled his wrist to lift the article to an angle where he could read. His eyes lingered on the photograph dominating the piece.

 

"Kissing," he swallowed.

 

Harry sighed, reaching out to run his fingers in Lola's fine curls.

 

"Lo, I'm sorry I shouted," he apologised gently.

 

Louis' hand slid down his back from his shoulder, circling in the middle.

 

"It's out now, there's nothing we can do."

 

"They can sue me for breaching," Harry bit out.

 

Louis asked Lola if she would make him some tea. She toddled off with Mariam, sending a worried glance at her father. Louis came to stand in front of him.

 

"It's private land and they had no right to take those," he assured. "I've got a lawyer who'd relish taking these guys to town..."

 

"Doesn't change the fact my privacy has been stolen," Harry gritted out.

 

" _Our_ privacy," Louis corrected gently, reaching out to carefully unfurl Harry's half-rucked t-shirt. He let the backs of his fingers glance over Harry's belly, thumbs hooking into his jeans loops.

 

Harry's face was lowered, teeth clenched stubbornly and sharp jaw flexing. Louis hadn't ever seen him this worked up and he didn't want to see him like it ever again.

 

"I'll talk to Greg," he offered. "I'm sure we can come to a compromise..."

 

"I don't care about the money," Harry's intense eyes landed on him and he sighed out. Louis edged closer, fingers sliding up under his t-shirt. Harry clutched them there over the material. 

 

"I just hate that I have to share this," he rasped. "Share _you_. I want you to myself for a while. Before everyone starts poking their nose in and-"

 

Louis let a hopeful smile burgeon on his lips, cupping Harry's neck.

 

"Nobody's going to take this away, Harold," he murmured.  "I won't let them."

 

Harry peeked at him, vulnerability painted over his handsome features.

 

"I just found you."

 

"I know," Louis grinned. "Feel like I've been through a lot already.. ."

 

Harry looped his arms around him then slowly, his clenched jaw slowly unscrewing.

 

"You fought off six other guys to get me," he arched a brow, voice soft.

 

"Not _fought_ exactly," Louis smiled as he tiptoed into a kiss, sighing out against Harry's lips as his phone sounded.

 

"Oops, that'll be reality," he sing-songed, turning away from Harry to take the call in private.

 

"I helped make tea, Louis!" Lola called as Louis buzzed through the kitchen to head into the yard.

 

He leaned down to kiss into her curls.

 

"Thank you beautiful.  Keep it warm in the pot for me," he added as he stepped outside.

 

"Tom." He answered.

 

"Figured you had a job for me," his lawyer greeted.

 

Louis chuckled dryly. 

 

"Work slow down there hot shot?"

 

"You know how I love an infringement of privacy case," Tom mused.

 

Louis hummed and found a seat in a defunct tractor, climbing up in his red sweatpants and black vest, pushing his fluffy fringe out of his eyes.

 

"Ok talk, law-man..."

 

//

 

"I've been called in for a business meeting."

 

It was after dinner that they crashed on the sofa together, Harry's feet in Louis' lap as Lola sat on Harry's chest with Lou-Lou, her little hedgehog toy.

 

"With Greg?" Louis checked.

 

Harry hummed, lazily playing tic-tac-toe on Lola's notebook laid on his collarbone.

 

"Yeah. More filming apparently."

 

Louis squinted at him.

 

"He's not going to talk about the contract?"

 

"He said there was no point. Said my lawyer had already submitted counter-breach paperwork along with a privacy infringement writ delivered against the paper and the photographer.. ."

 

Louis smirked.

 

"Good old Tom..."

 

"Louis, you didn't have to do that," Harry brushed the back of the hand he clutched the pen with against Louis' arm. "I could have paid someone. "

 

"I wouldn't like to deprive Tom of the genuine enjoyment of taking assholes like that down," Louis quipped. "He loves the warfare."

 

"So...he can't sue me, apparently," Harry shrugged. 

 

"Daddy what does sue mean?" Lola yawned, drawing a careful 'o' in a blank square on the hatching. 

 

Harry deliberately took a gap to help her win.

 

"It's something adults do when they're offended," he murmured.  "To get money for how upset they are."

 

Lola gasped.

 

"Can I sue you the next time you say no to going for ice cream?"

 

Harry sputtered out a laugh.

 

" _Dang_ girl, no you cannot," he teased in a twangy accent that Louis felt his heart race at. 

 

"But if I'm offended and upset..."

 

"It's called being a kid," Harry mused, ruffling her hair. "Why don't you get ready for bed?"

 

"I'm not offended anymore," she mumbled. "Can I stay up a bit longer?"

 

Harry laughed loudly, head tipped backward and toes flexing against Louis' thigh.

 

"Five minutes," he tucked her hair back a little to watch her face as she concentrated on their game.  Her face lit up when she saw she could connect her o's and she grinned happily with a cheer when she did so.

 

"I won," she stated proudly.

 

"So you did," he mused.

 

"Louis?" Lola twisted a bit to address him.

 

"Hm?"

 

"Can you read my story tonight?"

 

Louis smiled faintly, hands busy circling Harrys ankles.

 

"Sure, pretty. Go on up I'll come up in a minute."

 

"Don't forget," she called as Harry helped lift her down from the sofa.

 

"I won't," he tilted his head back to promise.

 

Louis let his hands glide up Harry's calves with a smile, lips curving and eyes crinkling.

 

"She's so precious."

 

"She knows us too well," Harry added ruefully of Lola's request not to forget.  

 

Sometimes they struggled, still wrapped up in each other in the early throes of love.

 

Louis bit his lip, lashes brushing his cheeks before he pinned Harry with a mischievous look.

 

"I'll go up now but...do you want to maybe get these jeans off and get ready for bed yourself?" He asked. 

 

Harry blinked three times before he swallowed heavily, a strangled 'yeah' escaping his throat. He didn't lift his feet from Louis' lap until he let go though, a secret look shared between them. Louis bent to kiss him chastely before running up the stairs to read to Lola.

 

//

 

"Lou...god..."

 

Louis had found him in the hay barn the following day.

 

Well he'd circled Harry's wrist with tight fingers and had tugged him there, starting a play fight which resulted in-

 

"Hmm..."

 

Harry's hands cupped his ass, dug halfway down the back of Louis' sweatpants.

 

Louis was pinned helplessly against the rough wooden wall, one knee hooked over Harry's hip for stability until Harry lifted him, allowing Louis to wrap both legs around his waist as tightly as Harry's arms secured him against the wall.

 

Harry had been asleep by the time Lola had drifted off after three stories _and_ a song. Louis had kissed his forehead lovingly and spooned behind him.

 

Now, though, he wanted what he'd missed out on last night.

 

"We could get caught," Harry whispered against his ear, biting the lobe. "Fuck, you're so naughty..."

 

Louis tugged his hair gently.

 

"Tut tut all these F-words, Harold..."

 

Harry huffed a chuckle against his cheek, dipping for another kiss as he drove his body against Louis' both of them infuriatingly still half dressed.

 

"Need you naked," Harry's hands became urgent. "Now."

 

They pressed their bodies together, scorching hot. It didn't take long for Harry to have Louis wrapped around him again, lubricated fingers sliding in deep.

 

"Great idea about the lube, Lou," he commented on a husky voice against his ear, duck surging against Louis' tummy.

 

Louis tried to hitch himself higher, thigh muscles hard with use from clinging onto Harry's hips.

 

"Stop talking," he begged with a breathy whine. 

 

Harry's hands cupped his ass fully, wet fingers digging into one cheek and both hands pulling his cheeks apart.  Harry's eyes were dark and feral and Louis felt the responding fire burn through him, stealing his breath away.

 

Harry nosed into his neck, teeth grazing his skin as he whispered incoherently.

 

"Want you so much...want this..."

 

Louis tilted his hips, catching Harry's tip against his rim, so close and yet not-

 

Louis gulped, air flushed out of his lungs. Harry sheathed himself in one gentle surge. The pulsing and pounding of his heartbeat could be felt by both of them.

 

"So perfect," Harry sucked a kiss into his collarbone.

 

"No bruises," Louis begged and Harry's lips softened, his teeth nipped rather than _bit_.  But his hips, they thrust hard. They settled him deep and Louis' fingers dug into his shoulders to cope; his words reduced to gasps of pleasure alone.

 

When their eyes met it felt like hot coal on lava; lips clutching together to express a need that the human language couldn't convey.

 

"Need...oh baby," Harry mumbled, hands big on Louis' back, fingers clawing his ass cheeks apart to slide in, to drive hard in desperation of showing Louis just how badly he needed him.

 

It was so intense it was never going to last long and the inevitable sounds of horses whinnies and a giggling child pushed them to their precipice more quickly than before.

 

Louis' fingers combed through the back of Harry's hair as Harry slowed his pace to flick his hips and grind in, a maddening satisfaction etched across his features as Louis whispered for release, Harry's hand slow to circle him to give it.

 

Harry's jeans were pooled messily around his feet, belt still threaded. Louis' t-shirt was shoved messily up his torso enough for Harry's tongue to curl around his nipple. 

 

When he came, Louis felt like hot treacle had rained down on them both coating them in sweet sticky liquid, his convulsing body washed over in it's residing heat.

 

"Ah, ah..." Harry fucked up into his quivering muscles until he too spilled in pleasure; his sticky seed surging into Louis' body before slowly dripping out as Harry kissed him; easing into him with his softening dick. 

 

"You want to go again cowboy?" Louis teased breathlessly, clinging to him. 

 

His thigh muscles began to twitch.

 

"Let go," Harry murmured deeply against his hair, pulling back enough to kiss him deeply until Louis forgot how to hold on. 

 

Harry's strength alone kept him upright. His back twinged a bit at the friction against the wooden panels behind him.

 

He looked into Harry's dark eyes and swallowed, letting a smile flit over his lips.

 

"Quite good at that aren't you?"

 

Harry smiled against his chin.

 

"We," he corrected. " _We're_ good at it..."

 

Louis slowly unwrapped his legs, easing his feet to the ground shakily.  Harry's arms didn't release him until he tapped one, searching out his discarded clothes.  They pulled their missing clothing on with secret smiles and furtive glances.

 

"Any other kinks?" Louis lifted a brow curiously.

 

Harry settled his Stetson over Louis' ruffled hair. 

 

"My kink is you," he professed, pulling Louis into a sweet hug.

 

Louis smiled happily at the claim, patting Harry's bum gently as a recognisable figure appeared behind Harry, one Louis could see over his shoulder.

 

"Hi Lola!" He greeted to give Harry to the heads up.

 

Harry turned and saluted his child.

 

"Hey, Lo."

 

"Have you two been naughty?" She squinted suspiciously.

 

Harry's eyes immediately fell to his jeans to check for stains.

 

"No," he pouted, cupping the back of his heated neck. "Why would you think that?"

 

"You look guilty," she accused.

 

Harry opened his mouth.

 

"We may have ducked away for a pretty minute to have a little kiss," Louis strode forward to tell her. "Since your Dad is going away tomorrow to do the extra filming..."

 

They had both decided that Louis would stay at the ranch to help out in Harry's absence for the few days Harry would be gone.

 

"Daddy can I stay home?" Lola asked as Harry walked over to lift her up.

 

He gave her a bemused look.

 

"You don't want to come with me?" He asked worriedly.

 

Lola fisted his soft hair in her small fingers, tugging on it gently.

 

"Can I stay home with Louis?" She asked. "Please?" She added.

 

Harry looked at her for a long moment and then twisted to look at Louis.

 

"Well..."

 

"Please, Daddy?" Lola pressed her cheek against his chest. "He won't go like Keith did. Please let me have him on my own?"

 

Harry blinked away the tears that filled his eyes at her plea, not quite successfully catching them all before they trickled down his face.

 

He cleared his throat and looked away when Louis noticed his emotion, small hand circling his forearm and concerned eyes silently asking if he was ok.

 

"I need to talk to Louis before I make a decision," he kissed his daughter’s curls before catching Louis' hand in his to walk them back to the house.

//

 

"So..."

 

Harry sat down beside Louis on the sofa, setting two mugs of cocoa with marshmallow floaters in front of them both.

 

Louis swallowed.

 

"So."

 

"How do you feel about taking care of Lola while I'm gone?"

 

Louis bit his lip and twisted, knee resting against Harry's thigh. He met Harry's gaze and reached for his hand to thread their fingers together.

 

"The question is how do _you_ feel about it?" Louis mused. 

 

Harry lifted a shoulder.

 

"I'm ok. I mean...you watched her at the mansion..."

 

"While you were there," Louis pointed out.

 

"You have Mariam to help out," he reasoned.

 

Louis tugged at his t-shirt to gain his gaze. Harry's eyes showed the fear Louis expected him to be expressing through his words.

 

"If it's too soon we'll just come with you."

 

Harry shook his head, throat bobbing.

 

"It's important that Lola and I spend time apart. And she _asked_ for you, Lou. She asked to spend time with _just_ you. That's.. ." He opened his mouth and shut it again, opening it to let out a little sigh.  "It's huge."

 

Louis nodded slowly, hand brushing up Harry's arm.

 

"Okay so how can we do this so that you don't freak out?"

 

Harry chuckled at his honesty. His eyes watered.

 

"She's not my baby anymore."

 

Louis tilted his head with a smile and pulled Harry into a cuddle.

 

"You know I'd give my life for her?"

 

Harry made a growling sound in his throat and sniffled, body hitching with hiccupped sobs.

 

Harry's arms came around him slowly, gently crushing him close.

 

"I wouldn't leave her with anyone but you," he whispered. 

 

Louis brushed his tears away with gentle thumbs. 

 

"We'll Face-Time as much as you like."

 

Harry nodded with a watery smile, pressing Louis' palm to his hot cheek.

 

"I'd like that..."

 

"And we can jump on the next plane to get to you if you change your mind, yeah?"

 

Harry gave a sheepish smile.

 

"I'll be ok I promise," he whispered.

 

Louis arched a disbelieving brow.

 

"Sure...you look fine right now, champ," he teased.

 

Harry smiled and leaned in to give him a tear stained kiss.

 

"I love you."

 

Louis stared at him. Harry said those words to his daughter often. Now that they'd shared how they felt, would it extend to Louis too? It seemed so.

 

"Love you too," Louis replied softly. 


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope everyone is still enjoying this. I am working on a couple of new stories but finding it hard :(  
> Thanks to everyone who helps me get my stories up; you know who you are!  
> Ang

"So we're just doing a follow up show?" Harry checked with Greg.

 

"We do it every year," Greg replied. "Life after 'The Bachelor' if you like..."

 

Harry nodded slowly.

 

"Okay, makes sense..."

 

"We usually do it after a few months but we want the press to see you filming with the guys to reignite the interest in the finalists..."

 

"What?" Harry frowned, leaning forward in his seat. "Won't that ruin the anticipation?"

 

Greg gave him a stare.

 

"No more than your little photoshoot with a certain ex-employee," Greg murmured. "Besides we're only going to shoot you and Niall in public. We'll keep Liam a secret."

 

Harry pursed his lips, eyes flicking over the media man distrustfully.

 

"Alright, fine."

 

"Good," Greg smiled and stood up. "We'll start tomorrow."

 

//

 

"I now appoint you Princess Louis of Wild Rose Ranch," Lola expressed seriously, getting up from her cross legged position opposite Louis to lift her selected tiara to push into his hair.

 

She carefully pushed his fringe back once it was in place.

 

"Can we take selfies?" She asked.

 

Louis smiled and nodded, unfurling his phone from his jeans pocket.  He checked quickly for missed calls and messages and felt his heart sink when there were none.

 

"They'll be filming now," Lola told him as she cuddled into his side.

 

He slid the camera app open and posed, tongue out and eyes crossed to make her giggle.

 

"Louis, no! You're meant to look _pretty_..."

 

"What do you mean?" He feigned offence. "I _am_ pretty!"

 

"Smile nicely," she bossed. "Like you do at Daddy..."

 

The mention of Harry had his grin softening and his eyes crinkling.  He looked like a hopeless man in love.

 

"There you go," Lola murmured smugly. 

 

Louis rolled his eyes.

 

"Are we friends? I'm rethinking that situation," he joked.

 

Lola walked around the front of his crossed legs and sat on his knee, comforting herself in the hollow of his lap.

 

"Louis?"

 

Louis leaned down to kiss her temple.

 

"It's _Princess_ Louis now..."

 

She smiled up at him briefly, fingers grabbing his t-shirt only to cling on tightly.

 

"What is it short stuff?" He rubbed her back gently.

 

"What if..."

 

Louis tucked her hair back and bit his lip.

 

"What if what?"

 

"What if I didn't want us to be friends anymore?"

 

Louis felt the air disappear from his lungs, his blood draining from his face. _Fuck_. Oh fuck....what had he done wrong? What --

 

"I, uh....that's ok," he forced out as Lola appealed to him with her big hazel eyes. "It's ok if you don't want to, hun," he assured with a wan smile.

 

"What if," it was smaller this time. Quieter. Barely decipherable. It was muttered into her knees where her small hands cupped the pudgy flesh. "What if I wanted you to be something else?"

 

Louis' heart jack-rabbited in his chest. _What else was there?_

 

"Like what, sweetheart?" He cupped her back with a gulp.

 

Harry would kill him to find out Lola had gone from idolising him to hating him in the space of four hours. Four hours of sole babysitting too. Fuck. He squeezed his eyes tight shut and opened his mouth. His heart struggled to beat in rhythm.

 

"Like my Daddy," Lola mumbled. Louis heard this time; probably because his eyes were shut. 

 

"What?"

 

"What if I wanted you to be my Daddy?"

 

Louis couldn't help it. His heart shuddered into life; his face bloomed and he cried sudden, happy tears.

 

"Lo..."

 

She darted him a fearful look and he held back from crushing her to him but when she stood on imbalanced feet in his lap to thread her arms around his neck, he went ahead and sniffled into her shoulder.

 

He gently hugged her to him, lips wobbling as he spoke.

 

"Are you sure you'd want that, sweetheart? I say bad words and-"

 

"I'll ask Daddy if it's ok," she whispered into his ear.

 

Louis watched carefully as she pulled away, settling back in his lap cross legged just like the time Harry had the pottery lesson.

 

Luckily his phone rang out to prevent him from having to process what just happened.

 

"Daddy!" Lola called happily as Louis placed the phone in front of them both, ducking a bit to get them in the shot.

 

"Hiii, howdy y'all," Harry greeted, lifting his Stetson comically off his head with a wink.

 

"Daddy you're so silly!" Lola laughed.

 

"You two look cosy," Harry noted with a fond smile.

 

Louis nodded.

 

"I just officially got crowned," he flashed the camera upwards to showcase his tiara.

 

"He's a Princess now," Lola told Harry. "And Daddy? Can Louis be my Daddy too?"

 

Louis froze, eyes pinned to the corner of the screen where his reflection sat. He planned to work up to telling Harry about the conversation with Lola. He planned to ask about the best way to deal with it.

 

He stared at Harry blurrily while his heart thrashed in his chest.

 

"Uh...we'll talk about it when I get home," Harry swerved carefully. "Um."

 

Louis swallowed, flicking his eyes away. _Shit_. Now Harry thought it was _him_ who was filling Lola's head with these ideas. He'd think he was some kind of paedophile or kid-snatcher probably...

 

He sighed, letting Lola's chatter surround them as he took great interest in digging dry skin off his feet.

 

"Lou?"

 

Louis looked up, finding his lap empty. He panicked for a second, eyes rushing around the room only to spot Lola in the en-suite of her room, brushing her teeth.

 

"Lou, is everything alright?"

 

Louis cleared his throat, pushing a smile onto his lips and arching a brow impishly.

 

"We're fine. We're good. How's everyone there?"

 

Harry tilted his head with a displeased pout of his lips.

 

"We're fine too but-"

 

"Louiiiis!"

 

Louis' gaze darted upwards.

 

"My tooth is bleeding!"

 

Louis smirked at Harry.

 

"Gotta go. Call me tomorrow?"

 

"Yeah, I -"

 

Lola broke down into tiny sobs and Harry sighed in resignation. 

 

"Bye Lou."

 

//

 

"So how the devil are ya?" Niall grinned, elbows propped on the back of the park bench they were situated on.

 

Harry was dressed in dark jeans and black boots, a red, yellow and white striped jumper pulled on over them and a thick black naval coat to ward off the evening chill.

 

There were floodlights beamed on them and three cameras poked in their direction. Harry felt innately awkward, struggling to remember how he coped with all this before.

 

He'd  pretended of course. Had acted a part. He smiled.

 

"I'm really good."

 

"Saw the picture of you and Louis," Niall winked. "Nice to see you made it."

 

"Gotta lay low for a while," Harry mused. "That's why we're here. So the press can imagine we're the real couple..."

 

Niall smirked.

 

"Does that mean I get a kiss off ya at last?"

 

Harry smiled bashfully.

 

"No I don't think I want to risk losing what I have," he commented.

 

Niall beamed at him.

 

"Lets just talk shite for a bit then."

 

Harry grinned and nodded.

 

"Alright."

 

//

 

They went out to a club. They had a few drinks. Harry let his hair down with a guy he trusted implicitly but he shouldn't have trusted Greg.

 

While he and Niall were singing their hearts out, the cameras snuck into the fore capturing their friendly moments trying to make it out as more.

 

Harry got angry at the invasion, at the suggestion he would cheat. Niall had to hold him back from hitting Mike.

 

"Come on, you don't want to do that do ya, champ?" Niall soothed, arms around his waist. Harry sagged against him pressing his cheek into his shoulder with tears in his eyes.

 

"I miss Louis."

 

Niall rubbed his back.

 

"I know ya do. Not long til you see him again now is it?"

 

Harry sighed and let Niall lead him out of the club.

 

//

 

"Look, it's Daddy!"

 

Lola thrust the newspaper into Louis' lap as she scrabbled up to sit in it while he ate breakfast in his boxers and a dressing gown at the kitchen table. 

 

Mariam looked over as Louis' eyes scanned the picture. A clearly drunk Harry in Niall's arms.

 

 _Right_.

 

He pulled out his phone, settling the paper onto the table. Lola began eating his forgotten cereal, pouring more when she reached the bottom of the bowl.

 

 **Louis:** Getting jealous over here. 

 

His phone rang at lunchtime when he was up on the hill with Jake fixing fences, Lola tucked away at the house with Mariam.

 

"You don't need to be jealous, nothing happened."

 

Louis smirked as the voice call dropped in without greeting.

 

"Hello to you too, Cowboy..."

 

"Lou..."

 

Louis sighed. It was a leading photo. 

 

"I trust you." He tried.

 

Harry hummed.

 

"But you've seen me date these guys for over a month and now I'm a few miles away."

 

Louis smiled, remembering Harry couldn't see.

 

"Exactly."

 

"And my daughter wants to adopt you..."

 

Louis swallowed, hoping to have that conversation once Harry was back.

 

"I'm sorry," Louis frowned, guilt ridden. "I can tell her no. I just didn't know how to handle it when she asked me and-"

 

"I love you."

 

Louis paused, clearing his throat.

 

"I love you, too."

 

"So why're you being weird?"

 

Louis licked his lips.

 

"You're gone for a few hours and suddenly Lo asks you if I can be her Dad?" Louis breathes. "Sounds a lot like I had something to do with it."

 

"Lou, she's been crazy about you from the start...I can't say she's ever asked anyone to be her parent before though,  that's new..."

 

Louis swallowed.

 

"I miss you."

 

"They tried to make it look like I was into Niall," Harry told him then, quietly. "I almost had a fight with Mike but Niall pulled me away. That's what that photo is of. Me trying not to kill someone..."

 

Louis closed his eyes and recalled the picture, the way Harry's face was pressed into Niall's shoulder and the fact he wasn't hugging Niall back.

 

"Just want you to be mine," Louis sighed, totally honest in his expression.

 

"I am," Harry promised on the other end of the line.

 

"You coming home soon?" Louis asked, focusing on Jake to get his emotions in check.

 

"One more day filming tomorrow in a secret location with Liam. I'll call tonight to speak to Lo."

 

"Ok, Cowboy. No cuddling cute guys," he added teasingly as Harry signed off.

 

//

 

Harry rushed through the airport to the arrivals lounge, his heart thrumming in excitement at who would be there to collect him. 

 

Lola would be waiting for him with Louis and he couldn't wait to see them both.

 

Louis had tried to get out of coming to the airport at all but Harry had decided that he no longer cared what Greg or the programme decided to do to him; if they were willing to try and sabotage his relationship with Louis for the sake of rescuing the show then he'd remind them exactly who they were dealing with. He had enough spare millions to pay any case they tried to stack against him for breaching his contract.

 

Lola was first to be scooped up and hugged tightly against his chest.

 

He carefully lowered her to the ground where she clung to his and Louis' legs while they faced each other, their smiles irrepressible.

 

"C'mere, Princess," Harry murmured, reaching for him.

 

"Ha-" Louis tried to push him away with ineffective hands against his broad chest but Harry was stronger and insistent; tugging Louis into his space.

 

His gentle hands tilted Louis' head back to instigate a longing kiss, fingers slipping through the silky strands of his hair. Harry absently acknowledged a commotion around them and flashes going off.

 

"That's my Daddy," Lola was saying to the photographers when Harry drew away from the kiss with a smug grin. He drew Louis into his side with an arm around his shoulders.

 

Louis bent to pick Lola up amidst flashes of cameras as Harry assessed the small crowd of paparazzi.

 

"We really need to get out of here," Harry mused.

 

"This was _your_ idea, Romeo," Louis teased, smiling up at him.

 

Harry guided him towards the exit doors with a hand curved against his lower back, Louis protecting Lola from the blinding flashes of the cameras.

 

Louis led him to the truck and got them all strapped in, nearly knocking a photographer down when he backed out.

 

"Watch out, idiot," Louis spat at the guy.

 

Harry laughed beside him.

 

"No 'F' words?"

 

"We've got a five year old to think of," Louis replied amusedly.

 

Harry grinned at him, shaking his head.

 

"I'm glad you finally realised."


	15. Chapter 15

They looked like a family.

 

As Harry unfolded the paper and flicked through the pages to find the small printed piece about his arrival home; the photograph depicting him leading Louis from the airport with Lola in Louis' arms stood out to him in more ways than one.

 

It was true that he looked protective of the smaller man, hand on his lower back to lead him out and a reverent gaze fixed on him. But with Lola in the mix, cuddled against Louis' torso, it made them look like a _unit_. More than lovers passionately kissing out in the field.

 

He liked the feeling it gave him. He liked the warmth that bubbled up in his chest, taking over his heartbeat with excited fizzes. He smirked at the smaller picture of them kissing in the arrivals lounge, Harry's arms enveloping Louis' diminutive form.

 

"Cowboy Bachelor picks his winner..." Louis leaned over his shoulder to read out the headline.

 

Harry twisted to smile at him, having been waiting patiently for Louis to emerge from bed. He dropped the paper in favour of reaching for him, pulling Louis gently into his lap.

 

"Hey, what took you so long?" He murmured, smiling as Louis leaned down to kiss him gently on the lips.

 

"Lola is right behind me," Louis mused, getting up again.

 

It was the weekend so Mariam wasn't there in the kitchen setting the kettle to boil water. Louis moved to do it with a yawn, pulling on an abandoned jumper laid over the back of the chair.

 

When he turned to watch Harry greet his daughter, he pulled the sleeves over his hands and realised he'd pulled on the stripy knit Harry had been wearing the day before.

 

"Hey, Lola..." Harry pulled the little girl into his lap with a smile.

 

Lola reached up to hug him around the neck.

 

"I love you lots and lots," she told him.

 

Harry smiled delightedly at the news.

 

"I love you, too," Harry kissed her forehead.

 

Lola twisted to look at Louis.

 

"Louis helped me to get dressed," she stated.

 

Harry carefully tugged her black t-shirt down over her black leggings.

 

"I can tell," he smirked, flicking amused green eyes over to his boyfriend. "You look just like him," he mused.

 

Louis filled the teapot with hot water over teabags and padded over, legs bare in his boxers and socks loose on his little feet.

 

"Hey, it's not my fault this little girl has good fashion taste," Louis stroked over Lola's curls with a gentle hand.

 

"And I don't?" Harry beseeched his daughter.

 

Lola tilted her hand side to side.

 

"Only when you wear the clothes from our holiday," she expressed of his wardrobe provided by the show.

 

Harry barked out a laugh, pressing the back of his hand to his mouth to stifle it.

 

"Then maybe we need to go shopping," he suggested. "Buy me a new, cool wardrobe..."

 

"But you're a _Daddy_ ," Lola bopped him on the nose. "You're supposed to be uncool."

 

"What about Lou?" Harry pouted. "He gets to be cool...."

 

Louis arched a brow with a smug grin, turning to pour their drinks.

 

"He's not a Daddy, yet," Lola told Harry sensibly.

 

"Yeah, you're right," Harry pinched her t-shirt and tugged it gently, looking into her pretty hazel eyes.

 

Sometimes she reminded him so much of her mother; a woman he had once been close enough to, to create this beautiful life before him.

 

"If you let him then maybe-"

 

"Lo," Harry warned in his deep voice, the one he reserved for special occasions only.

 

Louis made their drinks with a press of his lips and lift of his brows.

 

"So," he bounced over, laying their mugs on the table. "What does anyone want for breakfast?"

 

Harry's eyes slid across the table towards Louis, sinking down the front of his body and back up again with a shine of attraction.

 

"I know what I want," he offered in a husky voice.

 

Louis gave him a glare as his body responded in kind, dick stirring in his boxers.

 

"Yeah well. Children present," Louis muttered.

 

Lola climbed down from Harry's lap to run towards the fridge to pick her breakfast, leaving Harry to rise out of the chair, big hands reeling Louis in by the inches of spare jumper surrounding his sides.

 

"Must you wear my clothes, then?" He asked, sliding one hand up the back of the thing to splay over his spine.

 

Louis shivered, cold fingertips icy against his scorched skin.

 

"It's cold in here, you should-"

 

He should do a great many things. Harry considered them all as his tongue flicked into Louis' warm mouth and lathed against the smaller man's, a needy groan escaping his throat as Louis kissed him back, fingers tangling into his curls.

 

"Didn't you two already kiss hello?" Lola stood with her arms crossed, a resigned sigh escaping her lips as they looked down to her impatient form.

 

"Hm?" Harry smacked his lips together, releasing Louis to start breakfast.

 

Lola tutted and flicked her hair.

 

"You're so annoying," she accused, making Louis splutter out laughter.

 

"Yeah, Harold," Louis grinned at him with crescented eyes.

 

"Wait, why am I annoying?" Harry wondered. "Why isn't Louis annoying? He was kissing me, too..."

 

Lola wandered over towards Louis and hugged his leg.

 

"I like Louis better," Lola told him which only made Louis cackle louder.

 

"Lo, you're the best," Louis praised, lifting her onto his hip with one arm. "Want to help me make omelettes?"

 

Harry watched with awe as Louis seamlessly included Lola in a mundane cooking task, making her feel involved and accomplished as they dished up the food together, Lola ferrying plates to the table with careful concentration.

 

Harry lifted the heavy crockery up onto the wooden surface, making a space for Lola beside him.

 

Louis sat opposite with a rueful smirk.

 

"Guess I'm just the cool, better one," he mumbled.

 

Harry stuck his tongue out in retaliation and bit into his food.

 

//

 

 

"Lo? We have to go!"

 

Harry took big strides across the living room to grab Lola's backpack, her suitcase already clutched in his left hand.

 

"Coming!" Lola sang from her room, little feet clambering against the wood floorboards.

 

"Lola-Grace!" Harry barked up the stairs, temper fraying as he pushed the fine strands of hair back that had come loose from his bun.

 

"Hey, you two ready?" Louis bounced into the living room, clasping the handle of Lola's case from Harry's grip. "I'll stick this in the truck..."

 

Harry twisted to glare at him.

 

"If Lola ever gets her ass down the stairs." He muttered to Louis. "Lola, if I have to come up there!" He yelled up the stairs.

 

"I can't find Lou-Lou!" Lola called back. "I can't go without him!"

 

Harry relinquished his hold on the luggage to storm up the staircase, pushing open Lola's room door to find her crawling under her bed.

 

"You'll have to go without him," Harry told her. "Grandma is waiting for you and Louis and I need to get to town for an important meeting..."

 

Lola backed up from under the bed, blowing her fringe from her eyes.

 

"I know. You told me like, six times already!"

 

"Don't sass me, young lady," Harry warned. "I'm not in the mood!"

 

"You are in a mood!" She yelled back. "A grumpy mood! It's not my fault!"

 

"We need to leave," Harry walked over to pick her up.

 

Lola squealed and wriggled, tiny fists peppering his shoulder.

 

"Daddy no! I can't go without my hedgehog!" She cried.

 

Harry rolled his eyes and grasped her more tightly, turning to carry her out of the room.

 

"Louis!" he called as he thumped down the stairs.

 

Louis poked his head around the bottom of the staircase.

 

"Have you seen her toy?" Harry asked, thunder crossing his features.

 

"Er, not since he went for a swim in the paddling pool the other day..."

 

"Mariam probably washed him and hung him in the airing cupboard," Harry told his screaming child. "He'll be safe and warm until we get back..."

 

"Daddy, _no_!" She screamed high-pitched, causing Louis to plug his ears with his fingers, smiling sheepishly.

 

"Want me to go look?" He offered.

 

"No, I want my daughter to understand the word 'no'," Harry lamented, rearranging Lola over his shoulder as he strode through the living room.

 

Louis followed with a bitten lip, locking the back door behind them all before running over to the truck to open the passenger door for the pair.

 

"Lou-Lou will be here when we get back, darling," Louis tried to tell the sobbing child.

 

"I want my hedgehog!" She bawled loudly, face flushed from exertion, gulping in big breaths of air only to squeal out more sobs.

 

"Lola-Grace, I swear to god!" Harry sighed.

 

"Hey, hey," Louis' fingers circled his wrist, pulling him gently away from the truck door.

 

He crowded Harry against the side of it, pressing himself into his body.

 

"Harold. It's ok. It doesn't matter if we're late, Tom just wants to go over the case, that's all..."

 

Harry took in deep breaths, huffing them out slowly while Louis' thumb brushed softly over his thrumming pulse-point in his wrist.

 

"Hey," Louis pushed his fingers into his hair soothingly. "It's going to be okay..."

 

Harry swallowed, flicking his eyes away.

 

"I'm scared," he mumbled lowly, pressing his lips together.

 

"Of what, Haz?" Louis asked.

 

Harry shrugged, grasping the sleeve of Louis' oversized hoodie loosely.

 

"Losing you?"

 

Louis lifted his hand to kiss the palm of it.

 

"Not an option. You tried once, remember? I just came bouncing back..."

 

Harry's lips twitched, a sigh escaped his lips.

 

"What about Lo," he rolled his eyes of his tantrum-consumed child.

 

Louis snorted.

 

"Hey, she likes me, remember. I'll snap her out of that in ten seconds flat..."

 

"Good luck," Harry offered dryly, pushing away from the side of the truck to walk around to get in behind Louis.

 

Louis opened the passenger door and flicked his eyes over Lola's writhing body; sharp screams pushed out of her mouth.

 

"Hey, guess what?" He asked.

 

"I want my teddy! I want my Lou-Lou!"

 

Louis suppressed a smile.

 

"I just spoke to him," Louis told her. "He gave me a message to pass on..."

 

Lola's wriggling paused.

 

"Wh-what?" She looked up, pulling herself into a sitting position.

 

"Me and Lou-Lou," he crossed his fingers. "We're like that."

 

"You found him?" She asked.

 

"In the cupboard," Louis nodded.

 

He waited for Lola to think about what he'd said.

 

"What did he say?" She wondered.

 

"Sit in your seat properly and I'll tell you," Louis reached for the belt as she twisted. "There we go, nice and tight and safe," Louis adjusted the strap to fit her small body.

 

"Louis, what did he say?" She asked again, bloodshot eyes appealing to him.

 

"He said if it's okay he'd like to hang out in the warm room for a couple of days. He doesn't like getting his spikes wet and although he had fun in the little pool, he'd like to chill out on his own for a bit."

 

Lola frowned, Louis resting his forearm against the top of the door.

 

"Doesn't he want to play with me?" She beseeched.

 

Louis smiled.

 

"He said he can't wait until you're back so he can play with you again. He hopes you have a nice time at Grandma's."

 

Lola sniffled, folding her arms.

 

"Why couldn't Daddy have asked him that?" She accused angrily.

 

"Well, see the thing is, pretty, your Dad just really cares about you," Louis explained lightly. "And he wants you to have a nice time at Grandma's without Lou-Lou. He just wants us to make our important meeting on time so that we can get back to you that much quicker..."

 

Lola turned her head to stare at Harry in the backseat who sat with his fingers threaded together hanging between his thighs.

 

"It's a really important meeting," he said softly, guilt apparent in his features.

 

"I'm sorry, Daddy," Lola whispered.

 

Louis lofted the door shut and walked around to climb in.

 

"Right is everyone ready to go?" He checked.

 

"Ready!" Lola managed to muster up some enthusiasm.

 

"Ready," Harry murmured from the back.

 

"Yee-ha!" Louis called as he revved up the engine pulling away slowly despite his enthusiasm.

 

//

 

It was later, after their meeting, that they pulled up outside the homely town house where Lola had spent her day. Louis turned off the engine and pulled on the handbrake, resting his hands against his thighs nervously as he took a few fortifying breaths.

 

"She'll love you," Harry's hand cupped his assuringly.

 

Louis slid out of the truck and met Harry in front of the bonnet, sliding their hands together. They approached the door slowly, Harry being the one to reach out and knock.

 

"Oh my!" Anne's twang was much stronger than Harry's but she had his kind eyes and beautiful smile. "You must be Lou-ee. Come on in, precious..."

 

Louis stepped up into the house only to be consumed in a hug.

 

"Hi," he greeted shyly, clutching onto the maternal woman. "It's nice to meet you, Mrs. Styles..."

 

"Oh, call me Anne," she assured with a wave of her hand, putting Louis away from her to drag Harry into a squishy hug instead.

 

Louis smirked at the sight of a 6-foot tall man being reduced to a small boy.

 

"Hi, Mom," Harry smiled bashfully as she released him.

 

"Still haven't cut your hair I see..."

 

Harry rolled his eyes.

 

"No, I told you, I'm growing it..."

 

"Daddy!"

 

Lola skidded to a halt in front of Harry's shins, hugging him around the legs.

 

"Hey, little bean," he greeted. "What have you been up to?"

 

"Petting bunnies," Lola told him. "Can we get a bunny, Daddy?"

 

"I'm not sure that's a good idea, Lo..."

 

"Louis, can we get a bunny?" Lola turned to Louis to ask instead.

 

Anne eyed the pair of them curiously.

 

"Won't Lou-Lou get jealous?" Louis opted to say.

 

Lola beamed.

 

"You're still my favourite," she turned and ran back into the living room.

 

Anne arched an interested brow.

 

"She's taken a shine to you, hasn't she?" She observed.

 

Harry curved a hand around his mother's shoulder, gesturing Louis into the living room.

 

"Why don't I make some tea?" He suggested.

 

Anne scoffed and took herself off to make the drinks, settling down with the three of them once she'd stacked a plate with home made cookies.

 

Louis ate them delicately, scooping one hand under the other to catch any crumbs.

 

"I love the British," Anne commented. "Such nice manners."

 

"Thanks," Harry mused.

 

Louis smiled.

 

"Harry's not bad on that front," he assured.

 

"Has he wooed you?" She asked with a playful glint in her green eyes. "He's such a charming young boy..."

 

"Oh yeah?" Louis shifted to the edge of his seat to reach for another cookie. "Sounds like you got some stories on this one..."

 

"They'd queue around the block for him," Anne gave up readily, causing Harry to snort and blush simultaneously.

 

"They did not, Mom, jeez..."

 

"Girls," she added with a purse of her lips. "The boys didn't come by 'till later..."

 

Louis smiled into his hand, flicking Harry an amused look.

 

"Much later," he mused.

 

"Saw your pictures in the rags," she added fondly. "Harry called and told me about you of course."

 

Louis nodded.

 

"I-I'm sorry he didn't, you know," he shrugged. "Meet the kind of guy you wanted for him..."

 

Louis knew that it was Anne who had entered Harry for the show in the first place, no doubt wanting nothing but the best for her son. Someone who could match his millionaire credentials.

 

"I haven't got money but I've got-"

 

"Love," Harry interrupted, reaching across the sofa to tangle their fingers together. Louis frowned as his crumbs fell into the gaps between the sofa cushions.

 

Anne watched them with a knowing smile on her lips.

 

"Lou-ee, you look at my son like the sun is beaming outta him," she commented, making Louis smile shyly, lashes falling to his cheeks. "A mother couldn't want much more than that."

 

"He's great with Lola, too," Harry murmured.

 

"So I see," Anne nodded. "She couldn't stop talking about y'all..."

 

Louis watched Lola with her head low, diligently colouring in a picture she had started.

 

"She's amazing, really..."

 

"So what was the meetin' about?" Anne wondered, leaning forward to put her empty cup on the coffee table.

 

Harry and Louis exchanged a look.

 

"I shouldn't have gone and met Louis at the airport after my follow-up filming," Harry supplied dryly. "I knew they'd try to sue me for breaching my contract and, well, they tried to sue me for breaching my contract. We just had to work out how much I would pay to settle the whole thing off..."

 

"I'm so sorry, darlin’," Anne moved to squeeze Harry's shoulder. "You shouldn't have to worry about meetin' your fella and giving him an almighty kiss hello," she mused, making Louis chuckle.

 

" _Almighty_ kiss," he echoed with a grin.

 

"You got a nice photograph of it though," Anne winked. "Bet it was worth every penny.”

 

Harry swallowed, the sum of paying off his contract known only by himself and Louis. Louis had been mad about the whole thing, had threatened Greg with physical bodily harm when Tom and the network attorney were out of the room but they'd settled on a figure that didn't affect Harry's wealth in the slightest. In fact he'd pay it three times over just to have the ability to kiss Louis in public every day from now on.

 

Since their first article, they'd gathered some following as a couple and Harry vowed to set up his own media accounts to follow the fans who supported them.

 

"I'd go bankrupt if it gave me the right to kiss my boyfriend in public," Harry husked.

 

Louis shot him a  surprised look.

 

"Don't talk daft. We need your millions to see us into a glamorous lifestyle in old age..."

 

Harry guffawed at his joke, big hand curling around his thigh.

 

"And we need a few thousand for the wedding," he murmured against Louis' ear.

 

Louis clenched his thighs together, the idea of marrying Harry filling his head with so many ideas he didn't know how to sift through them.

 

"You two boys have had a busy day," Anne commented. "Why don't you go on up and get ready for bed. I'll bring Lola up and tuck her in..."

 

Louis got up and stretched with a yawn, offering his hand to Harry and leading him up the stairs.

 

//

 

"Mm..."

 

Louis gasped, one hand reaching blindly back to grasp behind Harry's thigh.

 

"Mm, yeah...oh, baby..."

 

It was the way he flexed his hips gently; fucking in thick and slow. Louis couldn't find words. Couldn't find _air_.

 

"H--o-oh..."

 

Harry curled his arm around Louis' middle, one hand pulling his thigh gently open to make room for him to fit. It was tight; the way they spooned and Harry had little leverage to really thrust but-

 

Louis grasped his thigh, pulling him closer and curling his ankle behind Harry's to open himself up a bit more. Harry sank in a bit deeper; sucking an appreciative bite into the back of his neck.

 

"Haz," he begged. "Ha-arry..."

 

"Hmm," Harry tightened his arm, dragging Louis' hips backwards as he changed his angle a bit; knees pressed together between Louis'.

 

 _Oh_.

 

"Oh..."

 

"Hm?" Harry smirked against his neck, lips pressing there.

 

Louis widened his knees and pressed himself back; wrapped against Harry's nakedness, flush and tight. He could feel every inch of him, including the throbbing jut of him inside.

 

"Baby...you feel so good,"

 

Louis squeezed his flesh, hard.

 

"Stop calling me that."

 

"Oh, bayyy-beee," Harry grinned, rocking hard to fill him. Louis gasped again, split open and speared with enticing, hard heat.

 

"Bastard," He managed breathlessly. 

 

Harry grunted and flicked his hips, staying deep.

 

"Like that Lou?" His hand splayed on Louis' belly as he eased out again.

 

His tongue flicked over Louis' ear as he repeated the motion, holding Louis against him as he stretched him open with his thickness.

 

"Hm? Want more?"

 

Louis wanted it all. He locked his fingers behind Harry's neck to open out his body completely, the move sinking Harry even deeper if that were possible.

 

"So beautiful Lou," Harry's fingers delicately worked over his ribcage and swooped low to stroke him.

 

Louis surged into his touch, Harry's hips bumping his ass as he followed the stutter. It was so intense, the way Harry possessed him during their lovemaking. It was so _hot_. 

 

Louis needed more air, ice and something else. Something he wasn't sure he owned around Harry- a modicum of self respect.

 

"Baby...love you so much...so pretty for me...hm? So-"

 

Louis groaned loudly as something gave way inside of him; spilling out hotly over Harry's hand. He clenched around Harry within him until Harry peaked too; thumb brushing over his belly tenderly as they lay together afterwards.

 

"You were so good with Lola when she had that tantrum yesterday," Harry murmured after long moments of them just spooning. "I got so mad..."

 

Louis hummed and squirmed against him just to feel his solid flesh.

 

"It was a shitty day, Haz. I'm sure I'll have me moments too."

 

Harry smiled against his temple, arm tightening over his collarbones. 

 

"Is it too soon to marry me?"

 

Louis froze, feet tangling with Harry's. 

 

"Your mum might have something to say about it," he quipped. "Anyway it's me who's doing the asking..."

 

Harry shook his head with a grin.

 

"No, I'm the one with the baggage. It should me inviting you into our crazy little world..."

 

Louis twisted on the bed to cup Harry's cheek.

 

"It's you who has the gift of a daughter and the hardest decision to make whether you're willing to share her with someone else...I should be asking if you're willing to consider me..."

 

"Fuck," Harry choked. "Shut up would you?"

 

Louis let Harry kiss him with a dominant tongue.

 

"I'd appreciate it if you didn't swear," Louis grinned into his lips, giggling as Harry's long fingers found the ticklish spots in his sides. 

 

"Gotcha," Harry mumbled against his mouth, segueing into a slow kiss. 

 

"Yeah, you think?" Louis wriggled and Harry surged to pin him down, biting kisses sucked into his chest. 

 

He came again under Harry's weight, his mind blown by the cowboy kneeling over him.

 

"I love you," Louis told him simply as they stared into each other's faces. It was the first time he'd got to say it first.

 

Harry's smile was worth it.

 

"I love you too."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi All  
> Thank you for following this story and commenting/adding kudos.  
> There is a short epilogue which I will post   
> Ang


	16. Epilogue

"Oh _hell,_ yeah."

 

Harry settled his weight on his bent arms, biceps rounding solidly with the action.

 

He circled his hips; grinding into Louis who obediently lifted his hips and tightened his thighs around his waist.

 

"Yes...yes."

 

It had been too long. Way too long. As co-parents to two children their lives had become inordinately busy.

 

The second child came in the form of Annabelle; a little sister for Lola who they'd adopted at six months old.

 

Lola- _luckily_ \- adored her and already doted on her but Harry predicted the odd jealous spat down the line as Annabelle featured more in their priorities.

 

A hand against his jaw brought his mind back to the moment, a wicked grin dimpling up his cheeks.

 

"Baby." He fucked in hard.

 

Louis kissed him, spreading his thighs to bend his knees up.

 

"Thought you'd stopped calling me that," he murmured as Harry's big hands covered his knees and pushed them gently back. He tenderly wrapped Louis' legs back around his waist, long fingers lingering on his pretty calves and thick thighs.

 

"Lou," he bit into his collarbone with a growl, grasping his waist to haul him closer, arms burrowing under him to wrap him in tight.

 

With all of his weight now against Louis'  body; the sensation of pleasure deepened.

 

"Yeah," Louis tangled fingers into his hair with a gasp. "There, Haz..."

 

Harry groaned and worked to make it good for them both. It had been so long, they both deserved it.

 

"Want you like this every day," Harry mumbled against his lips, licking in for a kiss.

 

"Daddy!" A high pitched cry sounded out; followed by thundering feet and rapid- fire banging on the bedroom door.

 

Harry lifted his head at the first cry, pausing for a moment because Lola often noticed their door was closed and stopped yelling until they came out moments later.

 

"Daaaaad!"

 

More thumping shook the door. Harry twitched his hips with a swallow.

 

"Shit."

 

"Ask her what's wrong," Louis whispered, pushing Harry's fringe back which had fallen down.

 

"What is it, Lo?" He called, lifting up onto his elbows and resettling his hips.

 

Louis fidgeted underneath him, toes clinging to his calves in hesitation to their love making.

 

"Lou-Lou's stuck!" She called.

 

"Stuck?" Harry mouthed to Louis. "Stuck where sweetheart?"

 

"On the porch roof! He fell from the window..."

 

Harry dipped his head and snickered into Louis' shoulder while Louis squeezed his ass.

 

"Stop being so insensitive, Haz," Louis giggled. "Go rescue the toy..."

 

"Louuu-eeee," Lola whined, making him squeeze his knees into Harry's waist.

 

"Well, fuck," he sighed, squirming against the feel of Harry's heat still within him. 

 

Harry whined too, kissing his cheek as he gently eased out of Louis' body, wrapping a hand around himself, hard and sticky.

 

Louis rolled off the bed and shoved his feet into sweatpants legs.  

 

"I've got this one, love," he announced while reaching for one of Harry's discarded t-shirts. "You enjoy yourself..."

 

Harry settled back on his haunches on the bed.  "No fun without you," he pouted, letting his hair trickle down his face.

 

Louis leaned across to kiss his pouty lips.

 

"If I can bribe her to stay in her room I'll come back, okay?"

 

Harry began to stroke himself slowly with a flicker of a grin.

 

"I'm happy with a candy bribe if it counts..."

 

Louis gave him a heated stare and licked his lips.

 

"It counts," he promised.

 

//

 

"Show me this emergency then, Lola," Louis sing-songed as he half hopped out of the bedroom; mind full of x-rated images of his boyfriend. 

 

Lola grasped Louis' hand and pulled him along the corridor towards her room. He poked his head around the nursery door but the monitor was still on live feed into the master bedroom where Harry was getting to finish what they'd started.

 

Louis focused his mind back on the little girl in front of him.

 

"He slipped," Lola told him.

 

"Of course he did," Louis pursed his lips. "I'm sure you didn't mean to drop him..."

 

"Louis, I never dropped him!" Lola span to gasp, folding her arms.

 

Louis smirked.

 

"Maybe he fancied a sky dive..."

 

Lola dragged him into her room and over to the window where Louis leaned out to take a proper look at the situation.

 

The sparkly hedgehog toy was perched at the edge of the porch roof in the gutter, easy to retrieve from the ground with a ladder.

 

"Lou-Lou, you alright there, mate?" He called out of the window; making Lola giggle. "Hold tight I'm coming to getcha..."

 

Lola hugged him around the leg. 

 

"Thank you, Daddy," she smiled against his thigh, biting her lip in belated realisation.  

 

"Hey," Louis prized her away from his leg to kneel down, cupping her arms gently. "It's ok to call me that," he assured. "As long as _you_ feel comfortable with it."

 

Lola nodded, curls bouncing. In the corridor Louis could make out baby cries and wondered if Harry was functional yet.

 

"I'm on it!" His twanged shout affirmed Louis' wondering.

 

"Lo," Louis cleared his throat. "We've talked about it, haven't we?" He asked.

 

Lola nodded again, playing with her fingers.

 

"I'd like to marry your Dad," he added. "Would that be ok?"

 

Lola rolled her eyes.  She'd spent months obsessed with a wedding that had yet to occur.

 

"I need your help," Louis added.

 

Lola caught in a breath.

 

"You can't tell your Dad, okay? It's our little secret..."

 

Lola grinned, lifting her hand for a high five. Louis patted his palm to hers carefully.

 

"Way to go, doll."

 

//

 

Harry woke slowly with a stretch, body twisting and lips curving in happy response.

 

 _Sunday_.

 

The only day he got to wake up slowly with Louis before their growing brood ripped them from the comfort of their bed.

 

Louis got up early to feed Annabelle and Harry got to curl him close when he crawled back under the covers with sleepy yawns and sleep messed soft hair in pretty tufts.

 

"Lou?" He lifted his head, one eye cracking open.

 

The bed was empty, no Louis in immediate sight. He checked the baby monitor. Silence.

 

No raspy singing to get Annabelle to sleep, no British accented words being muttered. 

 

He rolled onto his back, the hem of his t-shirt riding up his ribs as he lengthened his arms above his head with a wistful sigh.

 

"Louuuu?" He called louder, kicking the covers away with his feet so he could spread his legs and starfish in the giant bed.

 

A knock sounded on the door.

 

_Not Louis._

 

"Come in, Lola-Grace," Harry called with a dimpled smile, waiting for the door to open to reveal his daughter. 

 

Lola was biting her lip in concentration as she managed a tray in addition to opening the door.

 

"Careful there," Louis' voice sounded behind her, hovering as she diligently brought the tray into the room.

 

"Breakfast in bed, Dad!" She announced proudly. ~~~~

Harry sat up, fingers curling under the hem of his top to tug it down a bit, the jersey fabric rucked up at the back and not quite offering enough length to cover his laurels.

 

"My baby is all grown up," Harry murmured as he helped Lola lift the tray onto the bed and then helped her climb up.

 

Louis followed in with two mugs of tea.

 

"Morning, babe," Louis smiled.

 

Harry narrowed his gaze.

 

"Did I forget our anniversary?"

 

Louis snorted. Harry would never forget such an important detail like that. 

 

"No...we just uh...wanted to treat you to breakfast in bed that's all." Louis rubbed his hands together once he'd placed the cups on the bedside table and Harry flicked his eyes to the heart-shaped toast that was more pointy than curved and the single boiled egg perched in a _Humpty Dumpty_ egg cup.

 

Harry had learned the strange nursery rhyme from Louis when they'd brought Annabelle home.

 

"Do you want me to check on Anna?" Harry asked, shortening her name already.

 

"No," Louis denied with a high pitched voice. "Your mum came by to take her for a few hours..."

 

"But not Chef Lola," Harry ruffled her hair and went to break his egg shell, finding it already cut.

 

"Sorry Dad, I dropped it," Lola pouted.

 

"You didn't burn yourself did you?" Harry worried. "Was it too hot? Why're you calling me Dad all of a sudden?" He added bemusedly.

 

Harry lifted off the top of the egg and arched a brow at the sloppiness inside. Not quite cooked.

 

"Uh I'm not sure I can-"

 

"Harry," Louis gulped.

 

"Put your spoon in, Dad!" Lola urged.

 

Harry dipped his spoon into the questionable yolk and frowned as something clunked against it, metallic and heavy.

 

"What's this, Lo?" He hummed.

 

"Ask Daddy," she smiled and Harry's head snapped up so fast his neck twinged. 

 

"Lou," he began as he laid the circular shape on the edge of his plate but Louis was moving to the side of the bed and disappearing beside him, onto one knee.

 

"Harry. I asked Lola and Anne if it was okay with them and thankfully your family gave me the go ahead to ask you this question...quite an important question really and I've taken too long to ask it but-"

 

"Louis..." Harry whispered, lips slack.

 

Louis reached for the ring and dipped it in his tea to wash off the sticky egg residue before rubbing it between his finger and thumb in the hem of his t-shirt.

 

"I bought this ring in the hope it might sway your answer in a positive direction," Louis swallowed nervously, holding it out so Harry could see its beauty.

 

"Harry Styles...will you let me marry you?" He wondered. 

 

Harry reached for him, tugging him onto the bed to hug him with a breathy, shaky, "Yes, Lou. I want to, so much..."

 

"That's why you're Dad now," Lola told him pragmatically while Louis slipped the beautiful antique diamond ring onto his finger. "Louis' going to be Daddy instead. You got promoted."

 

Harry chuckled, tears edging his eyes that matched Louis' as their lips met in a slow, meaningful kiss. Harry coaxed Louis into kissing him for longer, their smiles evident. Louis tasted like happiness and the future.

 

"I can't believe you did all this," Harry breathed. 

 

Harry reached to cuddle Lola with an emotional grin against her hair.

 

"I love you so much."

 

"Can Louis adopt me?" She asked in return.

 

Harry nodded, wiping away his tears.

 

"Yeah, I think we can arrange that."

 

"Good, because that's what I want for Christmas this year. I don't want any other presents."

 

Harry let go as she wriggled out of his arms and slid to the floor.

 

"Grandma's waiting for me," she added as she made her way to the door.

 

Louis smirked at Harry and waggled his brows. 

 

"She's downstairs with Annabelle waiting for Lo to join her...she wanted us to have some privacy but I've been sworn to allowing her to come back for lunch to squeal over our engagement," he relayed amusedly.

 

Harry grinned, sliding lower on the bed as he pulled Louis into his arms, his bare tummy earning Louis' kisses once he'd finished with his mouth.

 

Harry cupped his cheek.

 

"She called you Daddy..."

 

Louis smiled bashfully, his lashes dusting his cheeks.

 

"Yeah, I...I'm choked. Is it- are you sure?" Louis checked.

 

Harry swallowed with a nod, holding back his emotions.

 

"I'm sure."

 

Louis smiled, corners of his mouth quirking up as his fingertips idly tickled over Harry's bare skin.

 

"So uh...what did you want to do? Finish your tea or...?"

 

Harry rolled them both over, weighing Louis down. 

 

" _Or_ , please Lou," he opted. "Definitely "or"..."

 

Louis grinned and let Harry lean in to kiss him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> To my lovely friends,  
> I'm sorry the epilogue was so short, I didn't want to post it with the last chapter. I feel like I let you all down with the ending of this story, it felt like it warranted more. I post my stories around six months after they're completed so I often don't have the time or mojo to do the justice I'd like; I am a perfectionist and it takes a lot of courage to post.  
> Thank you everybody for your continued, lovely support. I wish you knew what a difference it makes to me.  
> Coming up: ice-skating Harry fic, Part 2 of Prince Harry, a random Barman Harry thing and when it's done a Circus fic. I am also working on an mpreg but it's not ready yet.  
> Ang


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